An Indian man critically injured in a 2019 bus crash in Dubai which killed 17 people, including 12 Indians, has been awarded Dh 5 million (over Rs 11 crore) in compensation, a media report has said.
Muhammad Baig Mirza was a 20-year-old engineering student when the bus he was travelling in from Oman to the UAE met with an accident in Dubai, killing 17 of the 31 passengers, 12 of whom were Indians, the Khaleej Times newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The accident occurred when the bus driver hit an overhead height barrier at the entry point of a metro station parking here, leaving the upper-left portion of the bus destroyed, the report said. The driver, a native of Oman, was sentenced to 7 years in prison and ordered to pay the blood money of Dh 3.4 million to the victims' families.
According to Mr Mirza's lawyers, the UAE Insurance Authority, a primary compromise court, initially awarded him Dh 1 million as compensation. The petitioners then approached the Dubai Court of First Instance and obtained a judgment that revised the compensation figure to Dh 5 million, the report said.
Mr Mirza was on his way from Muscat after spending the holidays with his relatives when the accident occurred, critically injuring him.
According to the report, Mr Mirza was admitted to a hospital in Dubai for over two months and remained unconscious for 14 days, spending even more months after that in treatment in a rehabilitation centre.
According to the report, he was preparing for his final semester examination as part of his Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and could not complete his studies.
Mr Mirza suffered severe brain damage in the accident, because of which doctors said his chances of returning to normal life were slim.
Additionally, the injuries to his skull, ears, mouth, lungs, arms and legs were also assessed by forensic medical experts.
Based on the report, which said that Mr Mirza had suffered 50 per cent permanent damage to his brain, the UAE Supreme Court directed the insurance company to pay the compensation, the report said.
"We are very happy with the judgement," Senior Consultant Easa Anees was quoted as saying.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
On Camera, Congress Leader's Son Runs Over Biker In Karnataka
UAE Jails 11 For Life Over 'Terror Plots': Reports UAE Supreme Court Charges Man For Plotting Attack on Yas Marina Circuit Etisalat's return depended on auction rules, dispute resolution Headless Body Of 2-Year-Old Hostage, Grandmother Found In Manipur River How August 15 Flag Row Caused Rift Between Arvind Kejriwal, Kailash Gahlot Delhi Minister Kailash Gahlot Quits AAP, 'Sheeshmahal' Jab Is Parting Shot Foreign Medical Graduate Exam December 2024 Registration Ends On Nov 17 Amit Shah Reviews Manipur Security Situation Amid Unrest: Sources Indian Economy Strong Enough to Handle Global Shocks: RBI Governor Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.