Insights
Feb 02, 2026
UAE Court Awards Dh300,000 in Medical Malpractice Case
Fitness trainer receives compensation after career-ending post-surgery complications.
A UAE court has upheld a Dh300,000 compensation award to a fitness professional whose career was permanently impacted by medical negligence, in a landmark ruling reinforcing patient rights and healthcare accountability.
The plaintiff, a dedicated fitness trainer in peak physical condition, sustained a torn patellar ligament during a routine sports injury. Following surgery at a private hospital, he suffered severe complications due to inadequate post-operative care and delayed treatment of a serious infection. As a result, he endured multiple additional surgeries, severe joint stiffness, chronic pain, a 30-degree limitation in knee flexion, and approximately 10 per cent permanent disability of the lower limb, leaving him unable to continue working in his profession.
The case, handled by UAE-based legal consultancy Kaden Boriss, involved meticulous evidence gathering, including medical records, employment documents, and expert assessments, which demonstrated that the treating physician had failed to follow established medical protocols and did not adequately address post-operative complications.
The legal team successfully navigated the Medical Liability Committee process, obtaining findings that confirmed the healthcare provider’s deviations from the accepted standard of care. When the defendants appealed the initial judgment, the team defended the award through detailed legal memoranda, emphasizing that the physician’s errors were the proximate cause of the harm, and that any patient actions were a direct response to the inadequate medical treatment received.
The first-instance court awarded Dh300,000 in material and moral damages, along with court and attorney’s fees. The defendants’ appeal, which argued that the errors were “minor” and sought to shift blame to the patient, was fully rejected by the appellate court. The ruling affirmed that the Supreme Medical Liability Committee’s findings carry final evidentiary weight under UAE law, and that medical errors need not be classified as “serious” to establish liability under Federal Decree-Law No. 4 of 2016. The court also ordered the defendants to cover appeal costs and attorney fees, and to forfeit their security deposit.
Legal experts note that the case establishes several important principles for UAE medical malpractice law, including:
Finality of Medical Committee Findings: Determinations by the Supreme Medical Liability Committee are conclusive and cannot be further appealed.
Standard of Care: Healthcare providers are required to exercise a high degree of competence, skill, care, and vigilance consistent with professional standards.
Liability Threshold: Even errors not classified as “serious” can trigger liability under UAE law.
Comprehensive Damages: Courts may award compensation for physical harm, emotional suffering, and economic losses.
While financial compensation cannot restore the plaintiff’s career or fully reverse the physical limitations, it provides security during a period of vocational transition, formal recognition of the harm suffered, and accountability for medical professionals who failed to meet their duties. Observers say the case also sets a precedent protecting future patients from similar negligence.
The ruling demonstrates a robust approach to medical malpractice litigation in the UAE, combining expert evidence, committee oversight, and persistence through all levels of appeal to ensure justice for patients whose lives are fundamentally altered by preventable harm.