Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

An Abu Dhabi court has ordered a man to pay Dh74,081 in damages after his underage son stole a car and caused a serious accident. The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Cases Court ruled that the man, considered his son's legal guardian, must compensate the vehicle’s owner for the total loss of his car, as well as legal fees and other related expenses. Court records revealed that the minor, who did not have a driving licence, took the car without permission. His reckless driving led to a collision that left the vehicle unfit for use. An expert report determined the car’s market value at Dh80,000 before the crash, with repairs exceeding half that amount — classifying it as a total loss. The owner sought Dh200,000 in compensation, including the cost of renting a replacement car for over 18 months. However, the court dismissed this part of the claim after finding no proof of rental invoices, only a price quote. Instead, the court awarded the owner Dh65,000 for the car’s value, Dh1,081 for release from impound, Dh5,000 for loss of use, and Dh3,000 for moral damages. As the minor was under 16, the case was also referred to the Public Prosecution and later to the Misdemeanour Court, where he was found guilty. The ruling is final and cannot be appealed. ICA/Expat Media
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