Abu Dhabi court dismisses Dh100,000 lawsuit against car repair shop

Abu Dhabi: An Abu Dhabi court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a young man seeking Dh100,000 ($27,230) in compensation from a car repair company, which he accused of negligence after his vehicle’s engine caught fire, leaving him with burns on his hand.

The Abu Dhabi Commercial Court of First Instance ruled that the plaintiff failed to provide sufficient evidence proving he had formally handed over his car to the defendant company for repairs or received it back afterward. 

The young man had alleged that the company’s shoddy work caused critical damage to his vehicle, leading to the engine fire and his subsequent injury. 

He also claimed the company had admitted fault in a letter but refused to fix the defects.

The defendant, a car maintenance firm and its manager, argued that the court lacked jurisdiction, as no commercial transaction had been proven. 

However, the judge rejected this claim, noting that the company’s trade license covered vehicle repairs and parts sales, placing the case under the court’s authority.

Crucially, the court found that the plaintiff’s key piece of evidence, a document allegedly admitting fault, was signed by someone not named in the lawsuit, with no proven link to the company. 

Additionally, the plaintiff did not submit police reports about the fire or proof of damages.

The judge also denied the plaintiff’s request for an independent expert assessment, stating that existing case documents provided enough clarity for a ruling. Therefore, the lawsuit was rejected in full.