Jerusalem Hospital Ordered to Pay Half a Million Shekels to Elderly Patient Injured by Safety Hazard

A 70-year-old patient severely injured after tripping over a concealed safety hazard at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem will receive nearly half a million shekels in compensation. The incident occurred several years ago when the patient, undergoing oncological treatment, exited his family vehicle in the ambulance area and fell onto a metal surface due to a hazard that blended into the floor without warning signs or safety barriers. His injuries included a broken jaw and serious hip joint damage requiring complex surgery, resulting in permanent limp and significant daily functional impairment.

During the prolonged legal proceedings, the hospital's defense argued that the patient was negligent by adjusting his pants and that his life expectancy was limited due to his cancer. However, Judge Orna Sandler-Eitan rejected these claims, emphasizing that such natural actions do not constitute patient negligence. She ruled that hospitals bear heightened responsibility to ensure patient safety and that the lack of warning signs and protective measures constituted gross negligence.

The court ordered Shaare Zedek Medical Center to pay substantial damages for the physical and psychological harm caused, as well as legal costs, totaling close to 500,000 shekels. This ruling adds to a series of recent court decisions holding hospitals accountable for medical negligence and safety failures, highlighting growing judicial and public awareness of patient rights and hospital safety obligations. Notably, a recent case involved a nearly 10 million shekel compensation awarded to a patient paralyzed after a surgical error at Assuta Medical Center.