A Dubai court has ordered an employer to pay over Dh216,000 in medical expenses after failing to provide health insurance to an employee who was injured in a fall from height.
The Dubai Court of First Instance ruled that both the employer and employee are jointly liable for the unpaid hospital bill but held the employer primarily responsible under Dubai’s health insurance law.
Court records show the employee was admitted to a private hospital on March 22, 2025, with multiple fractures following a fall. He received treatment and necessary examinations until his discharge on April 8, 2025. The total cost of medical care reached Dh216,096.76.
Documents revealed that the employee had signed an undertaking to pay for treatment. However, it later emerged he was not covered by health insurance in the UAE, despite being employed by the defendant company.
Under Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013 on Health Insurance, employers must provide health insurance coverage for all employees. In emergency cases, they are liable for medical costs if the employee is uninsured. The court found no evidence that the worker had been enrolled in any insurance scheme.
“The source of the employer’s obligation in emergency cases is the law,” the verdict noted, citing prior Court of Cassation rulings that emphasize access to healthcare for all residents.
The court also awarded 5 percent annual interest on the amount from the date of discharge, April 8, 2025, until full payment.
While the hospital had sought an additional Dh50,000 for material and moral damages due to delayed payment, the court rejected the claim, stating the interest award sufficiently compensates for the delay. The defendants were also ordered to cover court costs and Dh500 in legal fees.
