Article 120 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 120 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الأول: مسؤولية الشخص عن فعله
The article states the general rule of liability in tort: every fault that causes damage to another obliges the person who committed it to compensate.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
كل خطأٍ سبب ضررًا للغير يُلزم من ارتكبه بالتعويض.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 120 explained in plain English
This article is the basic rule on a person's liability for his harmful act; it is short but broadly applicable. It provides that every fault that causes damage to another obliges the person who committed it to compensate.
It is understood from the text that the obligation to compensate rests on three elements:
- Fault: the person must have committed a fault.
- Damage: this fault must cause damage to another.
- Causation: the fault must be what caused the damage.
If these elements come together, the person who committed the fault is obliged to compensate the injured person. The phrase "every fault" indicates generality, so the rule is not limited to a particular type of fault.
The article is linked to Article 119, which provides that civil liability does not prejudice criminal liability and that punishment does not affect the assessment of compensation. It is also linked to Article 121, which provides that if the harmful act came from its direct perpetrator, the damage is deemed to have arisen because of that act unless evidence to the contrary is established.
This article does not itself specify how compensation is assessed or its amount. Anyone harmed by another's fault should document the fault, the damage and the link between them, and consider consulting a lawyer who specializes in civil and compensation cases.
Practical example
A shop owner in Jeddah left the floor of his shop wet without warning, and a customer slipped and was injured. If it is proven that leaving the floor in that state was a fault and that it caused the customer's injury, the shop owner is obliged to compensate him.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 120 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
When is a person obliged to compensate for damage?
If he committed a fault that caused damage to another, he is obliged to compensate.
Is the occurrence of damage enough to claim compensation?
The text ties compensation to a fault that caused damage to another, so there must be fault and damage, and the fault must be the cause of the damage.
Who pays the compensation?
The person who committed the fault that caused the damage.
More articles on Compensation for Harm
- Article 28
The article provides that a person who uses his right lawfully is not liable for any harm that arises from that.
من استعمل حقه استعمالًا مشروعًا لا يكون مسؤولًا عما ينشأ عن ذلك من ضرر.
- Article 29
The article prohibits abuse in using a right, and sets its cases: aiming only to harm others, benefit entirely disproportionate to the harm caused, and use for something other than what the right was granted for or for an unlawful purpose.
1- لا يجوز التعسف في استعمال الحق. 2- يكون استعمال الحق تعسفيًّا في الحالات الآتية: أ- إذا لم يقصد بالاستعمال سوى الإضرار بالغير. ب- إذا كانت المنفعة من استعمال
- Article 35
The offeror may withdraw his offer before acceptance is made unless the offer has a fixed period, and if he does not inform the other party he compensates him for the harm suffered but not the expected profit.
1- للموجب أن يعدل عن الإيجاب قبل صدور القبول؛ ما لم تكن للإيجاب مدةٌ معينة. 2- إذا لم تكن للإيجاب مدة معينة؛ فعلى الموجب إذا عدل إعلام من وجه إليه الإيجاب بذلك،
- Article 41
Negotiating does not oblige the parties to conclude a contract, but a person who negotiates or ends negotiations in bad faith is liable for the harm, not for expected profit; bad faith includes lack of seriousness and concealing an essential fact.
1- ذا تمَّ التفاوض على عقد فلا يرتب ذلك على أطراف التفاوض التزامًا بإبرام هذا العقد، ومع ذلك يكون من يتفاوض أو يُنهي التفاوض بسوء نية مسؤولًا عن الضرر الذي أصاب
- Article 56
If a partially incapacitated person resorts to fraudulent means to conceal his incapacity, he must compensate the other contracting party for the harm caused by the annulment of the contract.
إذا لجأ ناقص الأهلية إلى طرقٍ احتياليَّةٍ لإخفاء نقص أهليته لزمه التعويض عن الضرر الذي أصاب المتعاقد معه بسبب إبطال العقد.
- Article 118
The article provides that the provisions on harmful acts apply to liability arising from the act of a natural or legal person, subject to liability provisions in special statutory texts.
مع مراعاة أحكام المسؤولية الواردة في نصوص نظامية خاصة؛ تسري أحكام هذا الفصل على المسؤولية الناشئة عن الفعل الضار من الشخص ذي الصفة الطبيعية أو الاعتبارية.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.