Source: Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court.
The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court ruled that a man must pay AED 25,000 in compensation to a woman after it was proven that he intentionally crashed into her vehicle several times while driving under the influence of alcohol.
The criminal court had previously convicted him for the same incident and fined him AED 20,000, bringing the total amount payable to AED 45,000.
According to the case details, the woman filed a lawsuit against the man, requesting that he be ordered to pay AED 60,000 in compensation for the material and moral damages she suffered, in addition to legal fees and expenses. She stated that the defendant drove recklessly and with gross disregard for the lives and property of others, deliberately and repeatedly colliding with her vehicle, causing severe damage. Criminal investigations also confirmed that the defendant was under the influence of alcoholic beverages while driving, resulting in loss of control over his actions.
The case documents showed that the defendant admitted during investigations to crashing into the claimant’s vehicle. Surveillance cameras and investigation report also confirmed that he intentionally struck the vehicle more than once. A criminal judgment was issued convicting the defendant, imposing a fine of AED 20,000, and suspending his driving license for six months.
In its reasoning, the court explained that criminal judgments carry authority in civil cases whenever they conclusively determine the occurrence of the act forming the common basis between the criminal and civil proceedings, the legal characterization of the act, and its attribution to the perpetrator. The court noted that the claimant had previously filed a complaint with the competent authorities against the defendant, who was referred to criminal trial on charges of endangering the lives of others. Since the criminal court had already convicted him through a final judgment, the defendant’s fault was legally established.
Regarding the claim for material and moral compensation, the court stated that the defendant committed an unlawful act by intentionally and repeatedly colliding with the claimant’s vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. This constituted gross negligence fulfilling the elements of tort liability, including fault, damage, and causation. The material damages included the repair costs of the claimant’s vehicle, the loss of use during the repair period, expenses incurred to restore it to its previous condition, and indirect financial burdens caused by the disruption of her daily transportation and family and work-related responsibilities. These damages were considered a direct and natural result of the unlawful act.
The court further noted that the defendant’s actions caused psychological and moral harm to the claimant due to the intentional collisions and repeated attacks on her vehicle, resulting in fear, anxiety, and emotional distress, especially as the incident involved driving under the influence of alcohol, which aggravated the seriousness of the offense and deepened its psychological impact.
The court ultimately ordered the defendant to pay the claimant AED 25,000 in material and moral compensation, in addition to court fees and expenses.