A civil court provides compensation for emotional distress, and the defendant is penalized for insulting the claimant. Abu Dhabi: After insulting and degrading another person, a man was ordered by the Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Cases Court to pay Dh50,000 in compensation. The decision came after the claimant filed a civil complaint, claiming that the defendant had verbally assaulted and insulted him and seeking Dh100,000 in damages. Al Khaleej claims that after the occurrence, the claimant filed a criminal complaint, and the criminal court punished the offender Dh3,000. After that, the claimant filed a civil lawsuit to recover damages for the emotional and reputational damage.
The court observed that the civil claim was predicated on the same underlying offense and that the criminal decision had already proven the defendant’s guilt. The civil court was required to follow the criminal court’s conclusions, including the confirmation of misconduct and its attribution to the offender, since the criminal decision was final and binding. The court’s reasoning recognized the moral suffering done to the claimant, including harm to his emotional health, social status, and dignity. According to the UAE Civil Transactions Law, the person who causes harm must give suitable compensation.
The court decided that Dh50,000 was adequate to pay the non-material damages incurred, despite the claimant’s request for a larger sum. It further stated that when the type and degree of emotional harm are well-established, as they were in this case, courts may grant a single, combined award.
