Man’s lawsuit for ‘faulty’ 2025 car dismissed in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Commercial Court (First Instance) has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a young man against a car company after he demanded a replacement for a newly purchased 2025 model vehicle, claiming to have discovered major defects on the day of delivery, Emarat Al Youm reported.

In its ruling, the court found that the plaintiff had submitted untranslated documents to support his case, contrary to UAE law, which requires all court submissions to be in Arabic or accompanied by certified translations.

According to case details, the man filed a lawsuit asking the court to order the car company to provide him with a replacement vehicle valued at Dh219,000 — the amount stated in the purchase contract — and to transfer ownership to him. He also sought Dh15,000 in compensation for expenses allegedly incurred, along with legal interest and court fees.

The plaintiff argued that he had purchased the 2025 model from the company but discovered significant issues upon receiving it. When he returned to the dealership to raise the matter, the company denied any defects. He attached several documents to his claim, including an invoice and a purchase agreement — none of which were officially translated into Arabic.

In its reasoning, the court noted that the case file contained no evidence of a contractual relationship between the plaintiff and the defendant. The submitted purchase contract bore no signature or official stamp from the car company, and the invoice was not properly translated as required by law.

The court further found no proof that the plaintiff had paid the full purchase price or that vehicle ownership had been transferred to his name, as claimed. In the absence of such documentation, the court said it could not establish the existence of a valid agreement.

Citing legal principles, the court reiterated that the burden of proof lies with the claimant, stating: “It is established by law that the plaintiff must prove his claim, while the defendant is entitled to deny it, as the presumption of innocence applies unless proven otherwise.”

As the plaintiff failed to provide admissible evidence or supporting documents, the court concluded that the lawsuit lacked legal and factual basis. The case was dismissed, and the plaintiff was ordered to pay court fees.