Abu Dhabi court awards worker Dh200,000 compensation for workplace injury

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court has ordered a company to pay a worker Dh200,000 in compensation after a workplace accident left him partially blind.

The court also directed the company to cover legal fees and court expenses, ruling in favour of the worker, who had initially sought Dh500,000 in material and moral damages, plus nine per cent annual interest from the date of filing until full payment.

The incident occurred while the worker was repairing machinery. According to court documents, a brake mechanism malfunctioned when newly installed bolts failed, triggering a violent recoil that struck his left eye. A medical report confirmed he suffered permanent vision loss, leaving him nearly blind in that eye.

Following the accident, Abu Dhabi authorities imposed a criminal penalty on the company, initially fining it Dh25,000, later reduced to Dh10,000 on appeal. The civil case proceeded separately to address compensation claims.

A court-appointed forensic medical examiner found the injury had left the worker’s vision in a “foggy, near-blind state,” causing significant physical and psychological suffering. The report detailed the long-term impact, which was a key factor in the final ruling.

The court held the company fully liable, citing negligence in workplace safety protocols and confirming that inadequate precautions directly caused the injury. It awarded Dh150,000 for physical damages and Dh50,000 for moral and emotional distress.