A European pilot, who was misdiagnosed with cancer and subsequently underwent chemotherapy, has been awarded AED 50,000 by a Dubai civil court.
The pilot had sued a private medical centre for AED 5 million after he resigned from his job, sold property below market value and moved his family out of the country to seek treatment. He also underwent intensive chemotherapy over seven months due to the misdiagnosis. The pilot claimed that the error had caused him severe psychological and financial distress.
He had initially visited the medical centre complaining of a persistent cough and chest tightness. Initial scans were normal, and he was prescribed cough medication. However, on a subsequent visit, more advanced tests were conducted and he was informed that he had a chest tumour.
After undergoing chemotherapy for months, the pilot visited a specialised oncology centre where he was told that he had never had cancer and, therefore, did not need the treatment.
A medical liability committee concluded that a "non-serious" medical error had occurred, citing failures by the radiologist and general practitioner in following established medical protocols, accurately interpreting imaging results or referring the patient to a specialist.
The court acknowledged the medical error but pointed out that the pilot had not provided sufficient evidence to prove a direct causal link between the misdiagnosis and the wider financial losses claimed. The court, therefore, limited compensation to AED 50,000.
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