Delivery rider's family given Dh5m compensation two years after crash left him paralysed

Shifin Kummali's parents say payout will bring relief but they will 'never recover from terrible tragedy'

Ummer Kummali and his wife Jameela received Dh5 million in compensation to pay for the treatment of their son Shifin. Ruel Pableo / The National

The family of a delivery rider received Dh5 million ($1.36 million) in compensation, two years after a horrific crash left him paralysed.

The payout was finalised by a Dubai court last year and handed over to the family in seven instalments.

Shifin Kummali, 24, from the south Indian state of Kerala, was delivering groceries in Al Ain on March 26, 2022, when a car driven by a UAE citizen crashed into his bike. He suffered brain injuries and was treated in three hospitals in UAE before being flown to India last year for further medical care.

His family, who came to Dubai to meet his lawyers, received an additional Dh73,000 for legal fees and medical expenses. They said the funds will bring them relief but they will "never be able to recover from the terrible tragedy".

Landmark ruling

In November 2022, the Insurance Authority Court awarded Mr Kummali Dh2.8 million in compensation.

The family appealed to the Dubai Court of First Instance, which raised the sum to Dh5 million in January 2023 on account of "complete loss of mental and intellectual abilities as a result of the head injury, bleeding, severe damage to the brain, permanent disability, paralysis".

The insurance company challenged the ruling but the bid was turned down by the Appeals Court in June 2023. In August of the same year, the UAE Supreme Court upheld the total.

“This was a landmark ruling. It is a victory not just for Mr Kummali but shows the transparency and fairness of the UAE judicial process,” Easa Anees, director of Frangulf Advocates and Legal Consultants, which handled his case, told The National.

“Since he was the sole provider for his elderly parents, the courts took that into consideration when awarding the compensation. He will need assistance and medical care for the rest of his life.”

Medical care for life

Mr Kummali had come to the UAE after completing grade 12 and worked as a rider for an Al Ain supermarket for a year before the accident, after which his father Ummer, 58, had to quit his job in a restaurant in Jeddah to move to the Emirates to care for his son, the youngest of three children.

“My son used to say, ‘Baba, you can stop working because I have a job and I will take care of you,’” his father said. “This was his fate. It breaks our heart to see him not be able to move. He does not recognise anyone and depends on us to feed him."

The money will help the family pay for his hospital bills and "ensure he gets the best care. We are grateful for the money but nothing makes up for this life, the misfortune Shifin faces."

Mr Kummali was represented in court by Emirati lawyer Fareed Al Hassan, who said the compensation was critical in paying for recurring medical expenses. “This is the highest that has ever been given in an accident case in the UAE to an Indian national,” Mr Al Hassan added.

“The UAE follows the rule of law. As per the law, in an accident case, he could have been granted Dh250,000 amount but the court took into consideration that he is young, has dependants and approved the Dh5 million amount.

“He will need medical care for the rest of his life, so getting this compensation is significant.”