UAE's Highest Court Upholds Dh300,000 Payout in Compensation Case

A man's appeal for a higher compensation sum was rejected by the UAE's Court of Cassation after he was awarded Dh300,000 in a civil lawsuit linked to a criminal case. The court affirmed that the original amount was a fair assessment of damages and that the appeal lacked valid legal grounds, reinforcing the finality of the trial court's judgment.

The case originated from a criminal conviction where the defendant was found guilty by the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court and ordered to pay the victim an initial Dh51,000 in interim compensation. The victim later filed a civil lawsuit to seek further damages for the material and moral harm he suffered.
After reviewing the case, the civil court awarded the victim a total of Dh300,000. While the specific details of the crime were not disclosed in the verdict, the court's decision was based on the damages incurred.

The victim, now the appellant, challenged this ruling in the Court of Cassation, hoping to secure a larger sum. However, the top court dismissed the appeal, affirming that the trial court's assessment of AED300,000 was appropriate and well-justified. The Court of Cassation noted that the appeal was merely a dispute over how the evidence was evaluated, which is not a valid legal basis for cassation.

In its final ruling on July 23, the court highlighted that criminal judgments are definitive regarding the established facts and cannot be re-examined in civil proceedings. As the appeal lacked valid legal grounds, the court ordered the appellant to cover court fees and expenses and confiscated the appeal insurance. The decision reinforces the finality of trial court judgments on matters of evidence and compensation.

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