Summary: The High Court has increased the money awarded to the family of a medical student who died in a bus accident. The court decided that the family should receive ₹76,70,000, up from the initial ₹54,80,000.
On February 25, 2015, Ganesh Wagh, a promising medical student, was riding his bike on the Sillod-Aurangabad road when a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus hit him. Sadly, Ganesh did not survive the crash. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal found the bus driver completely at fault.
Ganesh Wagh's family asked for money, arguing that his future earnings as a doctor should be considered. They initially claimed ₹56,000 per month based on the salary of a classmate working as a medical officer. However, the tribunal set his monthly income at ₹35,000.
The court needed to decide whether to include "future prospects" in the compensation, which means thinking about how much Ganesh could have earned in the future. The tribunal added 50% to the monthly income for future prospects, but the High Court adjusted this to 40%.
"Future prospects are crucial for fair compensation," argued Mr. Mohit Deshmukh, the Wagh family's lawyer.
The tribunal initially used a calculation for a 27-year-old, based on a post-mortem report. However, documents like Ganesh's Aadhaar card showed he was 24. The High Court corrected this, using a calculation suitable for a 24-year-old, which increased the compensation.
The High Court, led by Judge Ajit B. Kadethankar, decided that the Wagh family should receive ₹76,70,000. This decision reflects a more accurate assessment of Ganesh's potential earnings and supports the family's claim for more compensation.
"The aim is to achieve just compensation," said Judge Kadethankar.
The court's decision to increase the compensation amount acknowledges both the loss suffered by the Wagh family and Ganesh's potential future contributions. This ruling emphasizes the importance of considering what a person could have achieved in life when deciding on compensation amounts in accident cases.
