ABU DHABI CITY, UAE — Women the world over and throughout history have had an uneasy relationship with their own sexuality. While medical technology has been able to help in some ways, one United Arab Emirates mother has found that it can also hurt. In 2003, the otherwise unidentified woman sued the private hospital in Al Ain, where she delivered her first child. Recently, the Abu Dhabi Supreme Court found in her favor and ordered the medical establishment to pay dhs300,000 ($81,671) for its medical mistake.
At issue were three anesthetic injections administered prior to delivery that not only accomplished their goal but kept on deadening sensation – because they went into the wrong areas, ultimately damaging the woman’s spinal chord.
“He tried to inject me three times, but he failed,” the woman explained to the court. “On the final attempt, he finally managed to anesthesize meand they undertook the surgery. When it was finished, I woke up but couldn’t feel my left hip. But the worst thing was, I completely lost my sex drive, which caused trouble for my marriage. I don’t feel the joy of life anymore.”
Initially instructed by the Court of First Instance to pay the woman dhs300,000, the hospital and insurance company appealed. The decision was upheld by the Appeal Court, but the defendants asked for a Supreme Court hearing, which also did not rule in their favor.
The woman had initially asked for dhs3 million for injuries and another dhs2 million for mental distress.
