Abu Dhabi: Parents ordered to pay Dh83,000 after sons wreck three cars

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court has ordered two individuals to pay a man Dh83,000 in compensation after their underage sons damaged three vehicles he owned.

The defendants had earlier paid Dh17,000 to the plaintiff as part of a partial settlement that was never completed, bringing the total payout to Dh100,000.

Case records show that the plaintiff filed a lawsuit demanding Dh328,000 from the parents, in their capacity as legal guardians, to cover repair costs for the damaged vehicles. He also sought Dh10,000 in compensation for material damages, along with further compensation for moral damages, citing violation of his home’s privacy and the unauthorised use of his private vehicle. In addition, he requested that the parents be ordered to cover court fees, expenses and attorney’s fees.

A court-appointed technical expert confirmed that the three vehicles sustained varying degrees of structural, mechanical and functional damage. The inspection revealed that repairs to the second vehicle would exceed 50% of its pre-incident market value, classifying it as a total loss under industry standards.

The expert reported that the first and third vehicles could be repaired to acceptable technical condition, with the cost of damage equal to their assessed repair value. It was also confirmed that the defendants had already paid Dh17,000, backed by bank receipts, as part of an initial settlement totalling Dh104,150, but later stopped payments without justification.

After deductions for the earlier partial payment and the salvage value of the second vehicle, the expert concluded that the remaining amount owed to the plaintiff was Dh73,000, with ownership of the wrecked vehicle to remain with him. The court exercised discretion in assessing compensation for moral damages and factoring in the incomplete settlement, ruling the total payable at Dh83,000.