UAE: Dh250,000 compensation for worker left disabled after workplace accident

A construction worker, who was left permanently disabled after falling from a height when a scaffold he was standing on collapsed, has been awarded Dh250,000 in compensation for the injuries he suffered.

The Abu Dhabi Court for Family and Civil Administrative Claims instructed the construction firm, where the Asian victim worked, to pay him the compensation amount after it was found guilty of failing to provide the necessary safety and security requirements for the construction site.

Official court documents stated that the man, in his late 40s, was working on the roof of a new building in Abu Dhabi when the scaffold he was standing on collapsed. He fell from a height of 10 meters and landed on a solid object.

He was rushed to the hospital after sustaining severe injuries.

A forensic report said the worker suffered from a spinal injury which constitutes a 45 per cent permanent disability, and his walking ability was affected by about 30 per cent.

The report also stated that the man could no longer perform his duties as a construction worker due to injuries caused to his body.

The criminal court had earlier found the construction firm guilty of flouting safety rules and causing injuries to the Asian worker.

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The worker filed a civil lawsuit against the construction firm, demanding Dh600,000 compensation for the physical, moral, and material damages.

The man said in his lawsuit that he suffered from permanent disabilities as a result of the worksite accident and that he could no longer do any physical work and that he was the sole breadwinner for his family.

After hearing from all parties, the judge decided that company must compensate the worker Dh250,000 in damages.

The construction firm was also told to pay for the worker’s legal expenses.

• Abu Dhabi