Summary: The High Court rejected an appeal by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, confirming the compensation awarded to S. Satheeshkumar for injuries from a bus accident.
On May 23, 2016, S. Satheeshkumar was traveling in a bus owned by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation. Around 3:30 am, the bus crashed into a truck because the bus driver was driving recklessly, causing serious injuries to Satheeshkumar. He asked for ₹50 lakh as compensation for his permanent disability.
The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, after looking at evidence and hearing from witnesses, decided to give Satheeshkumar ₹18,28,168. The tribunal thought about his job as a bakery master and how badly he was hurt when deciding the compensation.
"The Tribunal set an estimated income and gave a fair compensation," noted the court documents.
The Transport Corporation challenged the decision, saying the compensation was too high. They argued that the accident happened because of the truck driver's carelessness and disagreed with how his income was calculated for the compensation.
Justice M. Dhandapani, who was in charge of the appeal, found no reason to change the tribunal's decision. The court pointed out that there were no independent witnesses from the corporation's side to back up their claims.
"Changing the compensation wouldn't help," Justice Dhandapani stated.
The High Court rejected the appeal, telling the Transport Corporation to pay the compensation amount with interest. The court ordered that the money be transferred to Satheeshkumar's bank account within two weeks of payment.
The decision highlights the importance of giving fair compensation to accident victims and the need for strong evidence when challenging claims.
