Personal Injury Compensation Claim in Dubai, UAE

Article 259 and Additional Compensation for Personal Injuries

Where Diya (blood money for death) or Arsh (compensation relating to specific injuries) applies, these amounts do not necessarily cover every form of material or moral damage suffered.

Diya is commonly set at AED 200,000 for a death, while Arsh is generally linked to the applicable percentage for the particular injury. The assessment can depend on the nature and severity of the injury and the applicable legal and medical assessment.

Under Article 259 of the current Law, the court may, at the request of the injured party, award additional compensation where death or injury has resulted in material or moral damages that are not covered by Diya or Arsh. This can be particularly relevant in serious injury and fatal accident claims involving significant financial loss, dependency, ongoing care requirements, or other proven consequences.

Road Traffic Accident Claims

Road accidents are one of the most common sources of personal injury claims in the UAE. Liability is fault-based, and the police accident report is the central document establishing who was at fault, with the Traffic Court (or criminal court in fatal cases) making that determination before a civil court assesses compensation.

Where both drivers share some responsibility, courts can apportion fault by percentage, which directly affects the compensation awarded. Our personal injury lawyer advises on:

• Reviewing the police report and accident circumstances
• Understanding how fault-sharing may affect your claim
• Coordinating with insurance providers
• Assessing whether Article 259 additional compensation may apply

Workplace Injury Compensation

Employees injured on the job are covered by a specific compensation framework under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, separate from the general tort provisions:

• Death or permanent total disability: 24 months of the worker's basic wage, subject to a minimum of AED 18,000 and a maximum of AED 200,000, paid to legal heirs in the case of death
• Permanent partial disability: a proportional amount based on the certified disability percentage
• Medical treatment costs: generally covered by the employer

(This page covers the compensation claim itself. If your situation also involves a dispute over your employment, such as an unfair dismissal following the injury, our wrongful termination guide covers that separately.)

Medical Negligence Claims

Where medical treatment causes harm due to an error or failure to meet the expected standard of care, a claim may be possible under the Medical Liability Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 4 of 2016). These claims are typically reviewed by a specialised medical liability committee before proceeding, since expert medical assessment is central to establishing whether negligence actually occurred.

Slip, Trip, and Fall Injuries

Injuries occurring on commercial premises, in residential buildings, or other public spaces can give rise to a claim where the property owner or manager failed to maintain a reasonably safe environment.

Fatal Accident Claims for Families

Where a person dies due to another party's negligence, their family may be entitled to Diya, along with additional compensation under Article 259 for financial dependency, loss of support, and moral damages not covered by Diya alone.