Accident victim to receive Dh1m

Abu Dhabi: A landscape surveyor who lost six teeth and his eyesight when his face smashed into a surveying instrument when a Caterpillar earthmoving machine knocked him over, won Dh1 million in compensation.

The Abu Dhabi Civil Court ordered the Pakistani Caterpillar driver and his employer (a transportation and contracting company) to jointly compensate the 30-year-old Indian surveyor, R.P., who lost his vision and suffered severe facial disfigurement when his face smashed into the instrument panel called a total station (an electronic/optical instrument used in modern surveying).

R.P.'s lawyer Karunagappally Shamsudeen, of Al Kabban Advocates, said in his client's civil lawsuit: "The traffic court convicted the Caterpillar driver of driving negligently and knocking down R.P.

"Due to the accident's impact, R.P.'s face smashed into the total station and he lost three teeth from his upper jaw and three teeth from his lower jaw. His face became completely disfigured. He cannot chew or eat properly and suffers constant pain and difficulty chewing.

"He has lost vision in both his eyes. He also suffered deformity in both his nose and mouth."

Safety standards

According to police reports, the Pakistani driver, A.N., drove the caterpillar inattentively and without adhering to safety standards before he knocked over and injured R.P. at a construction site in Bani Yas.

The victim was rushed to Al Rahba Hospital and then was transferred to Al Mafraq Hospital where he was admitted to the ICU. Medical reports said R.P. sustained fractures in the mid-face and right side of the face.

The traffic misdemeanor court fined A.N. Dh2,000 after the defendant pleaded guilty and admitted being responsible for the accident.

Thereafter advocate Shamsudeen lodged a civil compensation claim before the Civil Court seeking Dh3 million in compensation for R.P.'s emotional, moral, medical and financial damages due to the accident.

The civil court awarded R.P. Dh1 million.