Doctors, Nurses Ordered to Pay Dh200,000 for Fetal Death Due to Negligence

Dubai Civil Court has ordered two doctors and two nurses at a private hospital to jointly pay Dh200,000 in compensation to an Arab couple after their unborn child died during delivery due to medical negligence.

According to case records cited by Al Khaleej, the wife had been under continuous prenatal care at the hospital, but during delivery, the staff failed to monitor the fetal heart rate and respond to distress signals. The court also imposed a five per cent legal interest from the date the ruling becomes final until complete payment, along with court fees and expenses.

 

The couple had sought Dh499,000 in damages for the physical, psychological and financial harm suffered by the mother, as well as the emotional trauma endured by the father.

 

Following their complaint, Dubai Health Authority’s Medical Liability Committee concluded that the hospital staff committed serious errors, including misreading the fetal monitor, failing to classify the pregnancy as high-risk, disconnecting the fetal monitor, and neglecting to track the baby’s heartbeat for a prolonged period. The Higher Medical Liability Committee upheld these findings, assigning equal blame -- 25 per cent each -- to the two doctors and two nurses.

 

The hospital and its staff denied negligence, claiming the fetus may have died due to natural causes such as umbilical cord entanglement or genetic factors. They also argued the fetal monitor was briefly removed at the mother’s request to allow her to eat and use the restroom, despite medical advice.

 

Under Federal Decree Law No. 4 of 2016, medical liability committees determine the presence, severity and cause of medical errors and assign responsibility. Their reports are binding and not subject to appeal. The court relied on these findings and provisions of the Civil Transactions Law, which require compensation proportionate to the harm suffered.

 

 

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