Abu Dhabi court raises injured worker's compensation from Dhs30,000 to Dhs50,000

Aya El Deeb, Staff Reporter

The Abu Dhabi Appellate Court raised compensation awarded to a falafel worker from Dhs30,000 to Dhs50,000, after he suffered a concussion in a traffic accident while crossing an intersection.

The details date back to an earlier time, when the worker filed a lawsuit against the driver of the vehicle who caused the accident and the company insuring the vehicle, in which he demanded that they are jointly obligated to pay him Dhs2 million in compensation for all material and moral damages, besides the expenses of the lawsuit.

The complainant indicated that while he was crossing an intersection, and due to the driver's negligence, he was hit and injured.

The appellant also indicated that the driver of the vehicle was convicted of this according to a criminal ruling, and requested that he be checked by a medical committee.

The judge looking into the case delegated forensic medicine, and the report affirmed that the complainant, as a result of the traffic accident, had a traumatic head injury which led to post-concussion syndrome and left him with frequent headaches and dizziness, which resulted in permanent disability of about 5%.

The judge also indicated that the complainant was already suffering from chronic diseases of the spinal vertebrae but had nothing to do with the traffic accident, and that he was unable to perform his work because of the chronic diseases and not because of the brain concussion he suffered due to the accident.

The Abu Dhabi Court for Family and Civil and Administrative Cases (First Instance) ruled that the appellees must pay the complainant Dhs30,000 and the fees. The complainant appealed the ruling, indicating that he was forced to stop working as a result of his injury, and that he lost his job and his source of living, especially that he supported a wife and six children in addition to his mother.

The Appellate Court increased the compensation, and obligated the vehicle driver and the insurance company to pay the complainant Dhs50,000 instead of Dhs30,000, besides the fees and expenses.