Abu Dhabi court tells hospital, doctor to pay patient Dh100k for medical error

An Abu Dhabi court has ordered a doctor, and the hospital he worked for, to pay Dh100,000 in compensation to a patient for damages caused to him during an operation.

The patient, who was suffering from a heart ailment, had to undergo a second operation in his home country after the doctor made a medical error during the operation.

Court documents stated that the man went to the hospital in Abu Dhabi as he was feeling unwell and was suffering chest pain. After examining him, the doctor recommended an operation due to the complications.

However, the patient stated that his condition had not improved after the operation. He then visited his home country where he felt the chest pain again. Medical experts at a hospital in his home country told him that an error that was committed during the first procedure and advised him to undergo another operation.

Upon returning to the UAE, he filed a complaint against the hospital and the doctor who had operated on him for negligence resulting in the medical error. He supplied the authorities with all the medical documents. Investigations by a committee of medical experts, assigned by the court, confirmed that a medical error committed during the first operation due to which the patient had to undergo the second procedure.

The Abu Dhabi Misdemeanour Court convicted the hospital, and the doctor, of error during the operation due to negligence. Following this, the patient filed a civil lawsuit against the hospital and the doctor demanding compensation for moral and material damages.

The Abu Dhabi Civil Court of First Instance ordered the hospital, and the doctor, to jointly pay the patient Dh100,000 in compensation for the damages. The ruling was challenged in the appeal court but it was rejected and the first ruling was upheld. The hospital and the doctor were also told to pay the legal expenses.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi