Civil Court denies compensation claim for accident damages

The Civil Court has ruled that a lawsuit filed to seek compensation for damages to a minor and a motorcycle in an accident in Malé was unsubstantiated, and has decided not to award the compensation.

A woman had filed the lawsuit seeking compensation for damages sustained in an accident in March 2024. The incident occurred when a person who was stopped on a motorcycle suddenly changed lanes as the woman and her child were traveling over the Sinamalé Bridge and entering Malé, resulting in the other motorcycle colliding with hers, causing injuries.

The woman and her child, who was riding on the back of the motorcycle, were injured in the accident, and the motorcycle was damaged. She had sued for MVR 41,000 as compensation for damages, covering the cost of motorcycle repairs, medical treatment expenses, and legal fees.

In the judgment issued yesterday, the Civil Court stated that the plaintiff (the woman) had failed to submit any evidence to prove that the requested amount was spent or needed to be spent on the claimed damages. The judgment further stated that only relying on the amount requested by the winning party for an expense is not deemed an equitable solution when weighed on the scales of justice.

The court noted that the details of the damages sustained in accidents would be evident from the Scene of Crime Officers' reports and investigation reports prepared by the police, but no such reports were submitted by the plaintiff.

The judgment stated that while the plaintiff claimed not to have received these reports, the court had provided an opportunity to request an order for the disclosure of evidence, but the plaintiff did not utilize this opportunity. Furthermore, the Civil Court judgment noted that while the plaintiff claimed to have received treatment at ADK Hospital, no documents were submitted to prove that treatment was received or that expenses were incurred for the treatment at that hospital.

Therefore, the court ruled that the money requested as compensation for damages cannot be