SUJAN MAGARATI - Nepali National Relieved of 1.14 Million Dirham (NPR 47.7 Crore) Medical Debt; Dubai Court Delivers Relief to Struggling Worker

DUBAI: Nepali national Sujan Magarati, who was overwhelmed with anxiety over how to cover hundreds of thousands of dirhams in medical expenses following a workplace accident, received major relief from the Dubai Court. The Dubai Court of First Instance ruled that Sujan does not have to pay his medical debt of 1.14 million dirhams, and instead, his employing company must pay it off in full.

Sujan, who suffered a severe spinal injury resulting in paralysis at his workplace, underwent emergency surgery at a private hospital in Dubai. The hospital bill amounted to 1,145,582.43 dirhams. When both the worker and the employer refused to pay the amount, the private hospital authorities initiated legal action against both Sujan and the company he worked for. Trapped in massive financial distress and with his life turned upside down, Sujan later approached YAB Legal Services, led by Salam Pappinissery, for legal assistance.

YAB Legal Services successfully presented to the court the protections afforded to workers' rights under UAE labor laws and Dubai health insurance laws. They convinced the court that the employer has a legal obligation to bear the medical expenses for workplace accidents and that the law does not permit placing such a financial burden on the worker.

Reviewing the arguments, the court dismissed the case against the worker Sujan, granting him full legal protection. The employer must pay the 1.14-million-dirham medical expense along with a 5% annual interest from the date the case was filed to the private hospital. Additionally, the verdict specified that the company must pay 10,000 dirhams as compensation for losses incurred by the hospital during this period, along with court costs and lawyer fees.