Jerusalem Bar and Municipality Ordered to Pay 256,000 Shekels for Shoulder Injury

A Jerusalem Magistrate's Court recently ruled that a young woman who fractured her shoulder after tripping over a concrete block placed by the municipality in a bar's outdoor area is entitled to compensation of approximately 256,000 shekels. The incident occurred in February 2023 when the 31-year-old, then a law graduate about to start her internship, was walking with a hot drink between tables at Alma Bar in Jerusalem. The court found both the bar and the municipality responsible, assigning 70% of the blame to the bar and 30% to the municipality, while attributing 30% contributory negligence to the plaintiff herself for being distracted by holding a drink.

The plaintiff sued both the bar and the municipality, alleging the bar's overcrowding of tables and failure to prevent the hazard, and the municipality's placement of the concrete block in a public space. The bar argued the municipality bore most responsibility, while the municipality claimed the block was not a hazard but a half-meter-high protruding post visible if not distracted by the drink. The judge rejected these defenses, noting the block's color blended with the ground, making it hard to see, and that the bar had concealed two other blocks safely but left the third in the walkway, demonstrating negligence.

The court also noted that with the start of the light rail, the block was no longer necessary and should have been removed. The plaintiff's delayed internship start and ongoing difficulties at work due to the injury were considered in the damages. The final compensation covers lost wages, assistance, expenses, and pain and suffering, with additional legal fees of about 60,000 shekels to be paid by the bar and municipality according to their share of liability.