A Dubai civil court has ordered a man to pay Dh350,000 in compensation to a musician who suffered a permanent disability after being assaulted following an altercation at a private Halloween party.

The victim had filed a civil lawsuit seeking Dh2.5 million in compensation from the attacker and the owner of the villa where the party was held. However, the court found only the first defendant liable for the injuries and dismissed the claim against the villa owner.

According to court records, the victim had been hired to perform music at a Halloween party held at the second defendant’s residence in Dubai. An argument reportedly broke out between him and one of the guests during the event.

The claimant said he left the venue after the dispute, but the first defendant followed him outside the villa and assaulted him. He suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital, where he was admitted to intensive care.

Medical reports showed that the victim sustained a skull fracture, bleeding around the brain, a cerebral contusion, loss of smell, and neurological and psychological complications. The reports also confirmed a permanent disability of about 30 per cent.

The claimant sought compensation for financial, emotional and psychological harm. He also sought to hold the villa owner liable, arguing that the owner failed to take appropriate action after the incident and did not contact the police or an ambulance because the party had allegedly been held without a permit.

The lawsuit relied on a final ruling in a criminal case in which the first defendant was convicted and sentenced to three months in prison followed by deportation.

The court said the criminal ruling had conclusively established that the first defendant carried out the assault. However, there was no evidence that the second defendant had committed any act or omission constituting legal fault that was linked to the claimant’s injuries.

The court stressed that liability for a harmful act requires proof of fault, damage and a causal link between the two. It found that these elements had been established against the first defendant through the criminal ruling and medical evidence documenting the victim’s injuries and permanent disability.

The court also rejected the defendant’s request to refer the claimant to another medical committee, ruling that the existing medical reports were sufficient to determine the nature of the injuries and their long-term consequences.

In assessing compensation, the court considered the physical, psychological and emotional harm suffered by the victim, as well as the lasting effects of his injuries.

The court ultimately ordered the first defendant to pay Dh350,000 in compensation, along with legal costs, and dismissed the case against the villa owner.