Man in coma for 11 years after car accident dies

Ras Al Khaimah: The family of an Emirati who spent 11 years in a deep coma before dying after a road accident which took place in 1998, on Thursday demanded Dh11 million in compensation — Dh1 million for each year he was in a coma.

A senior official at the emirate's Civil Court said the court has already summoned the physicians and forensic expert, who stated in the death certificate that the cause of death was a blockage in the victim's stomach which was a result of the accident.

The official said that the victim was on his way to Ras Al Khaimah when he tried to avoid a speeding vehicle, causing his car to overturn several times. He was rushed to the hospital under very critical health conditions.

The official said that when the Emirati was admitted to hospital he went into a deep coma. His family had transferred him to England and Germany and other hospitals in the UAE for treatment, but that did not work and he died 11 years later.

The official said that after the accident, the emirate's Civil Court granted the victim Dh750,000 in compensation for the suffering he has taken following the accident.

After his death, the family filed another court case demanding blood money, or "diya" in Arabic, as well as Dh11 million in compensation for the suffering they've endured during the 11 years. The court official said that the victim's family has been taking care of him 24 hours a day for the past 11 years, and that they have had to pay for his treatment.

The family has already provided receipts for their expenses.

Court probe

The court official said that the court has summoned the doctors who examined the victim after his death to question them on the cause of death, after which the court will pass its verdict on whether compensation money be granted to the victim's family.

The court official stressed that the court will ascertain the relationship between the cause of death and the road accident and that will be the cornerstone of the entire case.