Widow to Receive Millions After 18-Year Battle Over Husband's Nuclear Reactor Death
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
A widow will receive 1.9 million shekels in compensation 18 years after her husband's death from lung cancer, following a legal battle over his work at the Dimona nuclear reactor. The National Insurance Institute initially denied her claim, but the National Labor Court ruled that his exposure to radioactive materials was a significant factor. The court also criticized the Institute for the case's lengthy duration and ordered it to pay legal costs.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A widow will receive 1.9 million shekels after an 18-year legal fight over her husband's death.
- Her husband worked 40 years at the Dimona nuclear reactor and died of lung cancer.
- The National Insurance Institute initially denied the claim, calling the death 'natural'.
- A court-appointed expert found work exposure likely contributed 50% to the cancer.
- The National Labor Court criticized the Institute for the case's long duration.
A widow will receive 1.9 million shekels (approximately $515,000 USD) in compensation, 18 years after her husband's death from lung cancer, following a ruling by the National Labor Court. The husband worked for 40 years at the nuclear reactor in Dimona, where he was classified as a "ionizing radiation worker." His widow filed a claim for dependency benefits seven years after his passing, asserting his illness was work-related. The National Insurance Institute initially denied the claim, stating the death was from "natural causes."
Following the denial, the widow sued the Institute in the Regional Labor Court. A medical expert appointed by the court determined that the husband's significant exposure to radioactive materials during his work likely contributed 50% to the development of his cancer, and had a substantial impact on its progression. While the expert could not definitively state the lung disease caused his death, they noted it was a significant factor in his overall condition.
The National Insurance Institute appealed the Regional Court's decision to the National Labor Court, but their appeals were repeatedly rejected. In a ruling last month, the National Labor Court upheld the lower court's decision, stating that for work-related injury claims, a probable cause is sufficient, not absolute certainty. The court, led by Presiding Judge Sigal Davidov Motola, criticized the National Insurance Institute for the prolonged duration of the case.
In addition to the lump sum, the widow will receive a monthly pension for life and the Institute was ordered to pay 12,000 shekels in legal costs. Attorney Danit Mazor, representing the widow, stated that despite the recognized risks for nuclear reactor workers and the expert's findings, the National Insurance Institute made it difficult for the widow to receive recognition for her husband's work-related death.
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