Dh1 million awarded to Arab woman who suffered serious injuries in road accident

Abu Dhabi: A woman who sustained permanent disabilities in a road accident has been awarded Dh1 million in compensation by the Abu Dhabi Civil Court of Appeals. The Court increased the compensation from Dh600,000 — ordered initially by the Abu Dhabi Civil Court of First Instance — for the Arab plaintiff, based on the physical and moral damages she had suffered.

According to court records, the plaintiff had suffered injuries when the defendant had rammed his vehicle into the plaintiff’s car at a traffic stop. The plaintiff’s car was facing some mechanical issues and had stopped on the road. The incident left the woman, who was seated inside the vehicle, with debilitating injuries to her neck, spine, lower back and other parts of her body.

Medical records showed that the woman, who is now stable, suffered 30 per cent brain injury, 70 per cent spinal injury and 50 per cent injury to her urinary system.

The Court of First Instance had found the defendant guilty and ordered penalties. The plaintiff then filed a civil suit and the Civil Court of First Instance had ordered a Dh600,000 compensation for the victim.

The plaintiff then appealed the decision on the grounds that it did not account for her loss of income and permanent disability. The plaintiff claimed in her statement that she was unable to work even though she was still in the prime of her life, and that she had undergone a divorce, following the incident. She added that she was also likely to eventually lose custody of her two daughters because of her inability to tend to them as a result of her injuries.

The decision was then reviewed by the Civil Court of Appeals, which found the defendant guilty of reckless driving and inattention to the road. It therefore increased the compensation amount to Dh1 million and ordered the defendant to also shoulder the plaintiff’s court expenses.