Dubai: The parents of a young grocery delivery rider, who was left completely paralysed after a hit-and-run accident in the UAE when he was just 22, have received a glimmer of hope for their only son’s future care and recovery after he received a Dh5 million compensation.
Though the accident took place early in 2022, the parents of Shifin Ummer Kummali, now 24, received the full compensation on behalf of their son this week after completing all legal procedures.
Speaking to Gulf News after the law firm FranGulf Advocates and Legal Consultants handed over a ceremonial cheque to them, Shifin’s parents - father Ummer Kummali and mother Jameela Ummer - said they were grateful for the court judgment.
“We are indebted to the UAE for this help. This compensation gives us hope for his treatment and care,” said Ummer.
Jameela said she longed to hear her son call her ‘umma’, which means mother in their native language Malayalam. “Sometimes I feel like he is struggling to call me umma. I badly want him to be able to speak and move like how he was earlier.”
Jameela recalled that Shifin had excellent control over bikes. “He was passionate about biking from a young age. In fact, he started riding even before he turned 18,” she said.
Ill-fated day
She said Shifin came over to the UAE to support his family in 2021. He was just shy of a week to complete one year of living in the UAE when the accident took place.
The accident occurred on March 26, 2022. Shifin was hit by a car driven by an Emirati while he was delivering goods on a motorbike in Al Ain.
“The driver fled the scene, but the police apprehended him with the help of CCTV footage,” said Easa Anees, director and senior consultant at the law firm.
Shifin sustained severe injuries, particularly to his head, and was rushed to a hospital in Al Ain. His father, who was working in a cafeteria in Saudi Arabia, flew down to the UAE upon hearing the news.
“I was heartbroken to see my son in that condition. Doctors were not hopeful of his recovery,” recalled Ummer.
18 months on ventilator
After two weeks of treatment, Shifin was transferred to a private hospital for more specialised care. Despite the intensive medical attention, doctors determined that he had lost the function of nearly 10 organs due to his brain injury, and he was placed on a ventilator. Later, he was moved to a hospital in Abu Dhabi.
The sight of his son lying motionless was unbearable for Ummer, who had resigned his job to take care of his son.
He refused to give up hope and stood vigil by his son’s bedside, watching intently for any sign of movement. Jameela also came over twice to look after her son.
Miraculously, after 18 months of the best possible medical treatment in the UAE, Shifin showed slight improvement and began to move his head. With this progress, the family decided to take him to their hometown in the south Indian state of Kerala for further treatment.
Slight progress in health
Currently, he undergoes physiotherapy at home where a therapist visits him twice a day. “He was fed through a tube for a long time. Now, he can take liquids through his mouth. I give him everything he used to eat, but in liquid form,” said Jameela.
Though he has regained some consciousness, Shifin remains semi-conscious, and his eye movements are the only form of communication with his family. “Sometimes I feel like he is trying to call me,” Jameela shared, emotionally. “But when I call his pet name Manu, there is no response.”
Friends and family have been supportive throughout this ordeal. “His friends visit him every day, and his nieces try to make him laugh. But most of the time, we just see tears rolling down his face,” Jameela said.
Financial support
Struggling emotionally and financially, the family has already spent a considerable amount on his treatment. “My husband had to quit his job. Shifin is our only son and the youngest of three children. His elder sisters are married. Our lives are devoted to bring him back to a normal life now,” she added.
With Shifin’s road to recovery remaining long and uncertain, the compensation has come as a lifeline.
“Even amidst this sorrow, we find a reason to be grateful,” Ummer said. “Our son survived, and we will do everything we can to support him. He may not realise he has received this huge compensation, but we are hopeful it will help him soon,” he said, seeking prayers for Shifin’s recovery.
Legal battle
Initially, the UAE Insurance Authority Court awarded Dh2.8 million, but the legal team successfully argued for an increase. The Appellate Court raised the award to Dh5 million, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, Anees explained.
The factors that influenced the amount of the compensation include Shifin being a young man and the sole provider for his parents, his complete paralysis requiring long-term, if not lifelong, assistance, and his father having to quit his job to care for him.
“The compensation was paid by the insurance company. The driver was fined Dh5,000 for his negligence. An additional Dh73,000 was also awarded to the family for their legal expenses,” said Anees.
He said the law firm had footed the treatment bills for the family as it was confident that the compensation would cover the expenses. “Timely help is what matters, and the advance funds helped ensure Shifin’s treatment was not interrupted,” he pointed out.
The final ruling marks an important outcome for Shifin and his family and has set a precedent in the UAE’s judicial history, he said.
Emirati lawyer Fareed Al Hassan represented Shifin in court. While senior advocates with the law firm—which had previously secured a similar Dh5 million compensation for an Indian youth who was critically injured in the Oman bus accident case in 2019—fought the case, their efforts were further assisted by the volunteers of Al Ain Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (Al Ain KMCC), Anees added.
