Labour law7 min read9/13/2026

Work Injury Without Form 250: Who Will Pay for Treatment and How to File a Claim

Form BL/250 opens the standard route for a salaried employee to receive initial medical treatment as a work-injury victim, but in itself it still does not indicate recognition of the insured event. If the employer refuses to issue it or sign the documents, a claim may still be filed with the National Insurance Institute — it is important to replace the missing document with medical evidence and document the refusal.

Numbers and facts

•BL/250 — referral for initial treatment
•BL/211 — claim for injury allowance
•12 months — deadline for filing the claim
•60 days — estimated claim-processing time
•3 months — period for proving prior absences

What Form BL/250 Actually Provides

Form BL/250 is completed by the employer or a representative appointed on its behalf: it is intended to refer a salaried employee for initial treatment following a work injury. The form is presented to the health fund’s Work Injury Department, where the physician issues a “First Medical Certificate for a Work-Injury Victim.” The certificate must state the diagnosis and the period during which the person is unable to work because of the injury. Form 250 is not a decision by the National Insurance Institute recognizing the incident and is not an unconditional guarantee of payment for every private medical expense.

How Not to Lose the Medical Evidence

If the incident required you to go to a hospital emergency room, keep the discharge summary: it may be attached to the claim instead of the first medical certificate from the health fund. Make sure the medical records properly document the circumstances of the injury and its connection to work, rather than only the complaints and diagnosis. Keep your correspondence with the manager, witness details, and an exact description of the location, time, and mechanism of the incident. The absence of medical material is critical: the National Insurance Institute warns that a claim not signed by the employee or a claim without medical documents will be returned without being processed.

The Employer Refused: File the Claim Anyway

Form BL/211 — Claim for Payment of Injury Allowance and Notice of Work Injury — is used to claim injury allowance; it can also be completed and submitted online. If the employer does not sign the claim or disputes the circumstances, state the date on which you contacted the employer and the name and position of the person you contacted. The employer may record its reservations in the section of the form designated for it, but its disagreement does not replace the National Insurance Institute’s decision. It is therefore risky to wait until the dispute within the company is resolved: the documents collected independently should be submitted.

Who Pays for Treatment and Who Pays for the Absence From Work

Medical treatment is arranged through the health fund: Form BL/250 is given to the physician to obtain a first medical certificate for a work injury. If the physician ordered treatment that is not included in the Health Services Basket and the health fund refused to fund it, the National Insurance Institute has a separate procedure for reviewing the refusal. Compensation for lost wages is arranged separately as injury allowance using Form BL/211. The National Insurance Institute generally handles the claim; however, under special approval pursuant to Regulation 22, the injury allowance is paid by the employer, and its amount cannot be lower than the amount due under the established rules.

Deadlines and Costly Mistakes

The claim must be filed within 12 months from the date of the injury; filing later may impair the right to payment. The official form states an estimated processing time of 60 days for an injury-allowance claim, so it is advisable to submit the documents as early as possible. If, during the 3 months preceding the incident, there were absences from work for reasons beyond the employee’s control, such as illness, unemployment, or reserve military service, supporting documents must be attached. Common mistakes include waiting for the employer’s signature, failing to obtain a hospital summary, describing only the pain to the physician without explaining the circumstances of the incident, and submitting an unsigned form.

FAQ

Can the National Insurance Institute be contacted without the employer’s signature?

Yes. In the claim, state the date on which you contacted the employer and the name and position of the person who refused to sign the document. The employer may detail its reservations on the form, but the final decision is not made by the employer.

What should be attached if the employer did not issue Form 250?

Attach the hospital emergency-room report from where you were treated immediately after the incident, or a first medical certificate for a work-injury victim, if you were able to obtain one. Also keep the written request for Form 250, the employer’s response, the correspondence, and witness details.

Will the employer pay for the treatment out of pocket?

The official materials cited here do not establish a blanket rule under which the employer automatically pays all medical bills. Treatment is arranged through the health fund, and a refusal to fund prescribed treatment that is not included in the Services Basket may be submitted to the National Insurance Institute for review. Do not assume that private expenses will be reimbursed automatically merely because the injury occurred at work.

What amount in shekels will be paid for the period of incapacity for work?

The official materials presented here do not specify a uniform, fixed shekel amount for every injured person. Payment is arranged as injury allowance after examination of the circumstances and the period of medical incapacity; promises to state the same amount in advance for everyone are misleading.

Can a private insurance company be contacted at the same time?

Yes. Filing a claim with a private insurer does not preclude claiming injury allowance from the National Insurance Institute. If compensation is collected from a third party or an insurance company, this must be reported to the Work Injury Department.

What to do next

Immediately collect the medical documents, request Form BL/250 from the employer in writing, and document to whom and when the request was sent. If there is no cooperation, do not delay filing Form BL/211: sign it, attach a hospital summary or first medical certificate, and retain confirmation of submission. In the event of a dispute over funding for treatment that is not included in the Services Basket, a separate request must be filed to review the health fund’s refusal.