Abu Dhabi court more than doubles compensation for family of deceased worker

Dubai: An appeals court in Abu Dhabi has more than doubled the compensation awarded to the family of a worker who died in a workplace accident, finding that his employer and its manager failed to take adequate safety precautions, according to Emarat Al Youm. 

The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court ruled to increase damages from Dh100,000 to Dh250,000, rejecting the company’s claim that a previous criminal court order requiring it to pay blood money of Dh200,000 should exempt it from further liability.

The case was brought by the worker’s heirs, his father, widow, and five minor children, who argued that the original award was insufficient to cover the material and emotional losses they suffered. 

They had sought Dh10 million in compensation plus 12 percent interest, citing the worker’s role as the sole breadwinner of the family and the profound grief caused by his death in the prime of life.

At trial, the lower court ordered the employer and its manager to pay Dh100,000 in damages, divided equally among the heirs. Both sides appealed: the family, claiming the award was inadequate, and the company, arguing that the blood money ordered in the criminal case covered all damages.

In its judgment, the appeals court dismissed the company’s argument, citing established precedent that the payment of blood money does not preclude additional compensation for losses that exceed it, including lost income and emotional harm.

The court found that the employer’s negligence had been established in a prior criminal conviction and that the family had suffered significant financial and moral damage. 

It ordered that Dh250,000 be paid in total, with Dh15,000 allocated to the worker’s father and the remainder shared equally among the widow and children. Interest of 4 percent will accrue from the date of judgment until payment, capped at the total award.