Summary
The Supreme Court enhanced fatal-accident compensation to Rs.6,41,200 by adding forty per cent future prospects to the thirty-year-old deceased’s Rs.3,000 monthly income. It retained the one-third personal-expense deduction and applied multiplier seventeen, with conventional heads under Pranay Sethi. Interest was fixed at nine per cent from the petition until payment.
Issues
- Whether future prospects, personal-expense deduction and interest required modification in the fatal-accident award.
Held
- The deceased’s age warranted a forty per cent addition for future prospects under Pranay Sethi. Low income did not justify disturbing the one-third deduction for personal expenses. (¶¶ 5, 6, 7)
- Monthly income after future prospects was Rs.4,200, reduced to Rs.2,800 after personal expenses. Annual dependency of Rs.33,600 with multiplier seventeen yielded Rs.5,71,200. Consortium of Rs.40,000, estate loss of Rs.15,000 and funeral expenses of Rs.15,000 brought the total to Rs.6,41,200. (¶ 7)
- Interest on the resulting award was allowed at nine per cent per annum from the claim petition to payment. (¶¶ 8, 9)
Result
Appeal allowed. Total compensation fixed at Rs.6,41,200 with 9% annual interest from the petition until payment. No costs.