Compensation in Saudi law is a crucial legal principle, derived from Islamic Sharia and modern legal systems, including the Law of Judicial Procedures and relevant civil and criminal regulations. To grant compensation, three essential elements must be present: the harmful act, damage, and the causal link between them. Below is a detailed explanation of these elements in light of Saudi legislation and general principles derived from Islamic law.
First: The Harmful Act
The harmful act refers to any unlawful action that results in the violation of another person's rights, whether by a positive act (e.g., damaging someone’s property) or a negative act (e.g., negligence or failure to perform a duty). This element is rooted in the Islamic legal principle "No harm shall be inflicted nor reciprocated" ("لا ضرر ولا ضرار"), which prohibits harm to life, property, or reputation.
Forms of Harmful Acts:
Intentional Harm: For example, intentionally destroying someone’s property.
Negligent Harm: Such as accidents caused by negligence or failure to act with due care.
Failure to Perform a Legal Duty: For instance, neglecting to maintain public equipment, leading to someone’s injury.
According to Saudi regulations, both intentional harm and harm resulting from negligence may give rise to compensation claims.
Second: Damage
Damage refers to the material or moral harm suffered by the injured party, which is essential to establish civil liability. Saudi law recognizes various forms of damage based on the nature and impact of the harmful act.
Types of Damage:
Material Damage: Refers to financial losses, such as damage to a vehicle in a traffic accident.
Moral Damage: Refers to psychological or reputational harm, such as defamation or slander.
Future Damage: Damage that will likely continue in the future, such as permanent or partial disability resulting from an injury.
In line with the Islamic principle "Liability follows benefit" ("الغرم بالغنم"), damage justifies compensation, and the person responsible for the harm must repair the injury caused to the affected party.
Third: Causal Link Between the Harmful Act and the Damage
The causal link between the harmful act and the damage is a fundamental element to establish liability for compensation. This means that the damage must have directly or indirectly resulted from the harmful act. If the causal link is broken—due to force majeure or the intervention of a third party—the liability for compensation may no longer apply.
Conditions for Causal Link:
The harmful act must be the direct or primary cause of the damage.
There must be no external or unforeseeable event (such as natural disasters) that interrupts the causal connection.
The intervention of a third party should not be an independent cause of the damage.
Example: If someone causes a traffic accident through reckless driving, leading to the damage of another person’s vehicle, the causal link between the reckless behavior and the damage is established.
Compensation in Saudi Law
Saudi laws emphasize the principle of repairing the damage (compensation). The amount of compensation is determined based on the extent of the harm suffered and may take different forms:
Monetary Compensation: To cover financial losses.
Moral Compensation: To address psychological or emotional harm.
Specific Compensation in Kind: Such as restoring the damaged property to its original condition (e.g., repairing a damaged car).
Conclusion
The three elements of compensation (the harmful act, damage, and the causal link) highlight the importance of balancing legal liability and the rights of injured parties under Saudi law. Compensation depends on the proof of these elements to ensure justice and reparation for the injured party. This system aligns with the principles of Islamic Sharia, which emphasizes preventing harm and compensating injured individuals based on the rule "Harm must be removed" ("الضرر يزال").