Injury and justice

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The High Appeals Civil Court has awarded damages to a 70-year-old woman and her daughter after a malfunctioning hotel door caused injuries during their vacation.

The incident, which occurred at a prominent hotel in Bahrain, involved the main door collapsing onto the mother, who was in a wheelchair.

The mother, identified as the first plaintiff, sustained injuries resulting in a 3% disability, according to her lawyer, Marfat Janahi.

The daughter, the second plaintiff, escaped physical harm.

Janahi stated that the plaintiffs had booked a stay at the renowned hotel and were exiting when the electronic door, which operates via motion sensors, malfunctioned and fell on them.

The initial lawsuit filed by the plaintiffs was dismissed by the lower court. However, the plaintiffs appealed the decision.

Wheelchair

The daughter testified that she was pushing her mother in her wheelchair when the door unexpectedly closed and collapsed, injuring her mother.

The mother corroborated this account.

The hotel’s defense argued that the lawsuit was inadmissible regarding the daughter, as she suffered no injuries.

They further contended that there was no legal basis for compensation, citing a lack of negligence and causality.

Emergency services

The hotel claimed they had acted responsibly by contacting emergency services, transporting the injured woman to the hospital, and covering her medical expenses, totaling BD2,000.

They maintained that the hotel was not at fault.

The appeals court, however, ruled in favour of the plaintiffs.

Argument

It rejected the hotel’s argument that the incident was caused by the injured party’s actions, stating that the hotel failed to prove this claim.

The court emphasised that stopping in front of an electronic door is not inherently negligent and that the door system should be equipped to handle such pauses. The court found the hotel negligent.

Medical reports

The court considered medical reports confirming the mother’s injuries and the resulting 3% disability.

While acknowledging the hotel’s payment of medical expenses and provision of free accommodation, the court awarded the mother BD2,000 for material damages and BD1,000 for moral damages, totaling BD3,000.

The appeals court overturned the lower court’s decision, ordering the hotel to pay the full amount.