Israeli Worker’s Heart Attack During Business Trip Recognized as Work Accident After Dispute Over Toy Shopping
The National Insurance Institute recently recognized a heart attack suffered by an Israeli employee during a business trip abroad as a work accident. The incident occurred amid a heated argument with his supervisor, which the employee, a single father, said delayed him and prevented him from reaching a toy store on time to buy gifts for his children. The employee was on a business trip to install security systems in buildings of a Jewish community. He planned to complete his tasks before his last day abroad to dedicate that day to purchasing gifts for his children, compensating for his prolonged absence from home.
On the final day, an urgent call from a client about a malfunction extended the work. The employee and his supervisor arrived at the site, but the repair took longer than expected. The employee felt intense pressure as stores were closing early and his flight back to Israel was scheduled for the next morning. The situation escalated when the supervisor insisted on continuing the repair and stopped to buy a suitcase for work equipment instead of going directly to the toy store as the employee requested. The employee’s distress, pressure, and anger culminated in a severe argument.
When they finally reached the mall and the employee entered the toy store, he began experiencing extreme weakness and severe chest pain, collapsing shortly after. Medical personnel evacuated him by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he was diagnosed with a myocardial infarction. Despite the dispute being over a personal matter, the National Insurance Institute accepted the claim and recognized the event as a work accident. The court ratified the parties’ agreement.
Attorney Lidor Zwartz, representing the father, described the case as a classic work accident, emphasizing that the key issue was the argument triggering the heart attack rather than the reason for the employee’s rush. Such events can cause medical problems triggered by work-related stress. Following recognition, the insured will be summoned to a medical committee to determine disability percentages, potentially entitling him to a monthly pension.
