The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Court ordered a young man to pay AED30,000 in moral compensation to another young man after deliberately endangering his life while driving and damaging his vehicle. The defendant had already been fined AED200,000 for the incident, bringing the total penalties and compensation to AED230,000.
A young man filed a lawsuit against another, seeking AED200,000 in compensation for the material, psychological and moral damages he suffered as a result of having his life endangered. He also requested that the defendant be ordered to pay court costs and legal fees.
He stated that the defendant deliberately swerved his vehicle towards his car several times while they were driving on a public road. He then stopped in front of him and intentionally damaged his vehicle, rendering it unusable and endangering his life and safety.
He added that the defendant was convicted in a criminal case and fined AED30,000 for the two charges related to the incident. He was also fined a further AED170,000, equivalent to the value of the vehicle he was using at the time, had his driving licence suspended for three months, and was ordered to pay fees and expenses.
In response, the defendant submitted a memorandum requesting that the lawsuit be dismissed, arguing that the incident was minor and that the damage to the plaintiff’s vehicle was limited to the front left side.
The court observed that the defendant had been convicted by a final criminal judgment of endangering the lives of others and deliberately damaging the vehicle. His fault was therefore established.
The court further explained that the defendant’s claims regarding the plaintiff’s speed or overtaking from the right did not affect this finding. It said that merely relying on such arguments was insufficient to challenge the binding nature of the final criminal judgment, nor did they prove that the plaintiff caused or contributed to the damage in a way that would justify reducing the compensation.
It added that, according to the documents submitted, no external factor was proven that would negate the defendant’s responsibility, nor was there any proven fault on the part of the plaintiff that contributed to or worsened the damage.
Regarding the claim for moral compensation, the court noted that the defendant’s actions were not merely the result of a traffic accident. Rather, they involved deliberate conduct for which he had been convicted of endangering the lives of others and intentionally damaging a vehicle.
The court said that such conduct would cause fear and panic to the person subjected to it and would affect his sense of security and peace of mind while using public roads. It also noted the anxiety and distress associated with having one's personal safety threatened, which justified compensation.
The court rejected the claim for financial compensation, citing the lack of sufficient invoices or supporting documents to establish the cost of renting a replacement vehicle or the actual period during which the plaintiff’s vehicle was unusable. It further noted that the plaintiff had failed to provide evidence of any other financial losses that remained unrecovered after his vehicle was repaired by the insurance company.
The court ruled that the defendant must pay the plaintiff AED30,000 in compensation for the moral and psychological harm he suffered. It also ordered him to pay court fees, expenses and AED200 in legal fees, while rejecting all other claims.
