Patient’s misdiagnosis lawsuit rejected by Abu Dhabi court as illness was rare

ABU DHABI // The medical staff who misdiagnosed a patient do not have to pay compensation because the disease was so rare, the Civil Cassation Court has ruled.

The patient had filed a malpractice suit against a hospital and a doctor working there, who had mistakenly diagnosed him with an illness called Bist Neurological Syndrome.

He was administered the wrong medication and his condition deteriorated.

He was then transferred to another hospital where he was instead diagnosed with Behcet’s Disease, a rare illness that affects blood vessels.

The plaintiff claimed his treatment at the first hospital had caused paralysis and neurological issues.

The Court of First Instance referred the case to a medical committee.

Its report found the accused parties had given the correct treatment for their original diagnosis, hence there was no negligence on their part.

It added that Behcet’s Disease is extremely unusual and difficult to identify.

And the patient’s health could have deteriorated anyway even if he received the correct treatment.

The courts of First Instance, Appeals and Cassation all rejected the compensation claim.