Two sisters to get Dh700,000 in damages for injuries in car crash

Accident left the sisters with permanent disabilities.

Abu Dhabi — A woman driver who jumped a traffic signal and crashed into a car in which two sisters were travelling, causing them serious physical and psychological damage, has been ordered by the Abu Dhabi Civil Court of Appeal to pay Dh700,000 in compensation to the two girls.

Earlier the Abu Dhabi Misdemeanors Court had convicted the woman of causing injury by mistake, and jumping the red signal. Other counts levelled against her include not taking precaution and paying attention on road. She has been fined Dh5,000, her driving licence has been suspend for three months.

According to court document, the two claimants, who are sisters and university students, filed a suit at the Abu Dhabi Civil Court of First Instance demanding it to order the defendant to pay them in conjunction with her insurance company Dh5 million in compensation for the material, physical and psychological damages they suffered due to the accident, where the defendant was at fault.

The accident left the two sisters with permanent disabilities, and they held the defendant responsible on the basis of the court’s verdict which convicted her.

The two girls said in their plea that they are studying at the university to build their career, but the accident had caused them to delay their higher studies, and limit their academic and career ambition. They also said the injuries had limited their chances of getting married.

The duo also added that after the accident, they were also taken abroad for treatment which was a long and painful process and also was very expensive.

Lately, a medical report showed that the injury the two girls had sustained, resulted in permanent disabilities of variant degrees on different parts of their bodies, and that had caused them to suffer from chronic headaches and nausea as well as memory disorder. According to the report the left hand movement of one of the sisters has been affected by 20 per cent, and she also suffered back pain, tension and stress.

One of the girl’s right foot movement was badly affected, while her sister’s neck was hurt and she could not move it and was even finding it difficult to eat properly.

Accordingly, the court of first instance had ordered the defendant (the woman driver) and her insurance company to pay the two sisters Dh300,000 in damages.

The duo, however, did not accept the ruling and contested it at the appellate court insisting to be paid Dh5 million in compensation, arguing that the compensation the lower court had ruled did not cover the expenses their family had spent on their treatment abroad.

They also said the compensation did not match the intensity of the damage they had suffered, as the accident would have a long-term effect on their life.

The court of appeal then adjusted the amount of compensation to Dh700,000 and ordered the two defendants (the woman and her insurance company) to pay the lawsuit charges.

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