Court orders Dhs10m payment for father of Emirati victim in medical error case

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The civil court in Dubai has ruled that the defendants in the case of Emirati young woman Rawda Al Maeeni be obligated to pay Dhs10 million to the father of the victim in his capacity as her trustee as compensation for material damage.

It also obligated the defendants – 1) surgery centre subject of the lawsuit, 2) surgeon in charge of the operation, 3) anaesthesiologist and 4) anaesthesia technician – to pay the legal interest at the rate of 9 per cent from the date the judgment became final until payment is completed.

They were also obligated to pay the fees and expenses plus Dhs1,000 in lawyer’s fees.

The victim’s lawyer, Issa Bin Haider, tweeted: "The Dubai court ruled that the defendants in Rawda Al Maeeni case pay Dhs10 million as a compensation for the material damage she suffered as a result of a serious medical professional error. "

Last November, the Dubai Court of Cassation ruled that the appeals filed by the doctors involved in the Rawda Al Maeeni case against the judgment issued by the Court of Appeal be revoked and as a result their conviction of one year in jail to be followed by deportation was upheld.

The day surgery centre in which the surgery was performed for the victim was also fined Dhs300,000 and all the doctors were obligated to pay the requested temporary civil compensation amount.