Recently, State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman issued a warning about a concerning phenomenon involving lawyers approaching wounded service members in hospital rooms and persuading them to sign representation agreements on the spot. Engelman expressed concern that these wounded individuals are being persuaded to sign agreements without fully understanding whether representation is truly necessary.

The Department of Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Defense has emphasized that wounded military personnel receive all necessary services free of charge during their hospitalization and for the first four months of rehabilitation after hospitalization. Only after this period might some individuals require representation during medical commissions. It’s important to note that the law imposes strict limitations on the fees that lawyers can receive for representing patients during medical examinations at the National Insurance Institute. However, no such restrictions exist for medical examinations at the Ministry of Defense.

The Bar Association has stated its intention to take action against lawyers who actively approach wounded service members with offers of their services, particularly if done so in a hospital setting. The association has emphasized the importance of ensuring that wounded individuals are not taken advantage of by unscrupulous lawyers who seek to profit from their vulnerability. The Bar Association has also reminded lawyers that they have a professional obligation to act ethically and with integrity, even in difficult situations.