Court Orders Man to Pay Dh7,599 for Assaulting Person, Damaging His Phone

The Abu Dhabi Court for Family, Civil and Administrative Cases has ordered an individual to pay Dh7,599 in compensation for physically assaulting another person, verbally abusing him in public and damaging his mobile phone by forcibly throwing it.

 

The claimant had filed a lawsuit seeking Dh20,000 in compensation for material and moral damages arising from the incident. His claim included Dh5,099 for the damaged phone and Dh14,901 for the physical assault, verbal abuse and resulting harm to his dignity and reputation.

 

He also requested interest at 5 per cent a year from the date of filing the case until full payment, in addition to court fees and legal expenses. In support of his claim, he submitted the criminal judgment against the defendant, a certificate confirming that the judgment had become final, and the phone's purchase invoice.

 

The court examined the purchase invoice, which established that the phone was worth Dh5,099. Having found that the device was damaged as a result of the defendant's actions, the court concluded that the claimant had suffered a direct financial loss equivalent to its value.

 

It consequently awarded Dh5,099 to compensate for the material damage caused by the destruction of the phone.

 

The court also considered the findings of the criminal judgment, which established that the defendant had directed insulting and abusive remarks at the claimant, harming his honour and reputation. The incident had taken place in public, in the presence of other people, and involved both verbal abuse and the forcible seizure and throwing of the phone.

 

The court held that such conduct could undermine a person's dignity and standing in society, causing embarrassment, distress and psychological suffering. It treated these consequences as moral damage distinct from the financial loss resulting from the damaged device.

 

Finding a direct causal link between the defendant's conduct and the claimant's non-material harm, the court assessed compensation for the emotional and psychological suffering at Dh2,500.

 

The total compensation was therefore fixed at Dh7,599, comprising Dh5,099 for material damage and Dh2,500 for moral harm.