Whereunder it has been held that income of the claimant is to be construed at Rs.3,000/-p.m. The accident in question had occurred in the year 2007. Even a mason at that point of time was earning not less than Rs.300/-per day or in other words Rs.9,000/-p.m. during 2007. Claimant being a graduate and working as Marketing Executive, his plea of salary being Rs.8,000/-p.m. deserves to be accepted,
The age of the claimant as on the date accident was 24 years and appropriate multiplier as indicated in Sarla Verma and others v. Delhi Transport Corporation and others [(2009) 6 SCC 121 ] deserves to be adopted. Thus, under the head ‘Loss of Future Income’ claimant would be entitled to the following compensation:
Rs.8,000 x 75% x 12 x 18 ÷ 100 = Rs.12,96,000/-
On account of the injuries sustained claimant has suffered 75% whole body disability. He has clearly deposed that on account of the injuries sustained and consequential disability suffered his marriage prospects have become bleak. Even in the affidavit filed on 30.09.2022 he has deposed that he has remained unmarried and none has come forward to marry him. In other words, the prospects of appellant getting married would remain a dream and for loss of the same he has to be suitably awarded compensation. Hence, we award a sum of Rs.50,000/- towards the “loss of marriage prospects.”
In the light of the income of the claimant having been construed at Rs.8,000/-p.m. as discussed hereinabove, the compensation under the head ‘Loss of earnings during laid up period’ would require to be recomputed and we do so and accordingly award compensation for four months @ Rs.8,000/-p.m. i.e. Rs.32,000/-in substitution to the compensation awarded by the Tribunal.
In the light of the compensation awarded towards ‘Loss of Future Income’ the sum of Rs.60,000/-awarded by the Tribunal under the head ‘Permanent Disability’ and ‘Loss of Amenities in Future Life’ would not arise. The claimant, thus, would be entitled to the following compensation in substitution to what has been awarded by the Tribunal as affirmed by the High Court:
SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT
Citation: 2023 STPL(WEB) 54 SC
SRI LAKSHMANA GOWDA B.N. Vs. ORIENTAL INSURANCE CO. LTD. CO. LTD. AND ANOTHER
Civil Appeal No. 4255 of 2023 @ (Special Leave Petition (Civil) No.13736 of 2019)-Decided on 7-7-2023
Click to See Full Text of Judgment: 2023 STPL(WEB) 54 SC