UAE: Family given Dh250,000 after worker’s death due to employer negligence

In a landmark ruling, the Abu Dhabi Family, Civil, and Administrative Appeals Court has increased the compensation awarded to the family of a construction worker who died due to employer negligence. The court raised the compensation from Dh100,000 to Dh250,000, emphasizing the employer’s failure to implement proper safety measures. The worker tragically fell from scaffolding and died instantly, a direct result of the company’s neglect of its duty to protect employees. The court also ordered the defendants to cover all legal and court-related fees. The heirs had initially sought Dh10 million in compensation, arguing that the employer’s negligence directly caused the worker’s death and violated occupational safety laws. The court highlighted that while Islamic blood money (diya) compensates part of the loss, it does not cover the full financial, emotional, and moral damages suffered by the family. This ruling underscores the legal obligation of employers to maintain strict safety protocols, particularly in high-risk environments like construction sites. It serves as a stern warning to companies across the UAE to prioritize worker safety or face severe legal and financial consequences. The case also affirms the right of families to pursue full compensation for preventable workplace deaths, holding employers accountable for negligence that costs lives. The decision stresses the critical importance of adhering to occupational safety standards and ensuring the well-being of workers, emphasizing that tragedies caused by avoidable negligence cannot be fully rectified by diya alone.