Mother awarded Dhs75,000 after son suffers due to medical negligence in UAE

The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Cases Court ruled that a hospital and a doctor to pay a woman Dhs75,000, along with legal expenses and fees, for causing a medical malpractice during the treatment of her son.

In the details, a mother took her son, who was suffering from a pain to hospital, where a doctor examined him.

She did not violate accepted medical standards, and no serious errors were made.

However, the doctor did not repeat the tests to check for inflammation, did not conduct a CT scan to follow up on such cases, and did not choose the appropriate antibiotic. These errors constituted gross medical negligence, causing the son to suffer from material and moral damages.

The mother filed a lawsuit, demanding that the hospital and the treating doctor pay Dhs350 thousand, plus legal interest at a rate of 12 per cent, as well as fees, expenses and charges.

The Court explained that the hospital had actual authority over the doctor in terms of supervision and guidance.

Furthermore, the report of the Higher Committee for Medical Liability, which was appointed to investigate the case, confirmed presence of error and negligence during the operation.

The medical report showed that recognised medical principles had not been followed, as the operation had been performed without taking the necessary precautions. Therefore, the court found that the plaintiff’s son deserves compensation for this damage, and estimates it at Dhs75,000 for both material and moral damages.