RAK court orders motorist to pay pedestrian Dh110k in compensation for injuries

The Ras Al Khaimah Civil Court has ordered a driver – and his insurance company – who ran over a pedestrian and caused him severe injuries to pay a compensation of Dh110,000.

The erring motorist, a Gulf national, was driving his vehicle at a speed of 115km/hr on a road that had a speed limit of 80km/hr.

“The speeding driver neither noticed the man crossing the road on time nor reduced the speed of his vehicle. He ran over the victim who was using the pedestrian crossing,” the court affirmed.

As per the medical report, the victim sustained brain haemorrhage, injuries on his diaphragm, bones, and a bruise on the left side of his head.

As a result of the injuries he suffered in the accident, the man is longer able to resume his job as a truck driver.

In addition to the injuries, the man is also suffering a loss of balance, constant pain, and severe psychological effects.

The defendant, however, claimed that the victim was jaywalking and suddenly tried to cross the road ahead of his vehicle.

“He (the victim) was not crossing the road from the assigned pedestrian crossing,” he claimed.

The Civil Court has said that the ruling issued by the traffic court was conclusive and it could not be challenged.

“The injuries stated in the medical report have proved that the plaintiff was harmed in the road accident and the erring driver was exceeding the speed limit on the road.”

The Civil Court has ordered the erring driver and his vehicle’s insurance company to pay Dh110,000 in compensation to the victim against the injuries and disability he suffered as a result of the traffic accident.

• Ras Al Khaimah