q On September 17, a girl who was visiting the country banged the side of my car while crossing the road and injured her foot. I am not sure if she was familiar with the norms of Dubai roads but she was looking the wrong way while crossing and, in spite of me sounding my horn, she ran for the other side and hit her foot on the right side of my car. On hearing that, I immediately stopped my car, helped her, asked her if she wanted me to take her to a hospital. She said she couldn’t move. I called the police then an ambulance. The police towed away my car and took my passport. The girl got out of hospital on the same day but she won’t show me the hospital report. Whenever I go to the police station asking for my car they say that until the girl turns up and signs a document, they cannot give me my car. My car is fully insured so I don’t have a problem with her asking for any compensation but she is not willing to go to the police station. I want my car back. What can I do?
a You should inform your insurance company, which can provide you with a letter for the police that states that the insurance company will compensate for damages (if any) and then ask the police to release your car. Meanwhile, you should approach the hospital to obtain a copy of the girl’s medical report and try to persuade her to attend a police station. You can also ask police to perform a check to find out whether the girl is still in the UAE or has left.
Yousef Al Bahar is an advocate at Al Bahar and Associates Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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