JUDGEMENT
K.KANNAN, J. -
(1.) THE claim is for compensation for injuries suffered in a motor accident for a male aged 54 years. He was said
to be engaged in business and an income tax assessee. He had
crush injury below his knee and his leg had been amputated. He had
also multiple fractures on the other leg and injuries on various parts
of his body. The fracture was reduced by an implant of rod. The
claimant contended that he would require also additional expenses
for an artificial limb and had filed an application CM No. 2322 -CII of
2013 to accept the evidence setting out the details that an artificial limb will cause Rs.2,83,200/ -.
(2.) IT is most important that there is an appropriate evidence lead even at the time of filing about the likely
expenses in future. A person who has an artificial limb cannot say
that he did not know nature of expenses that would be incurred in
future. I cannot allow for an additional evidence to be brought
without affording an opportunity to the other side to controvert that is
contained in the document. Additional evidence cannot also be given
without explaining why such evidence could not be produced before
the tribunal. I shall not be able to accommodate the claim on the
basis of the document brought but however I made an attempt to re -
work the compensation taking all the relevant factors that include
also a claim for future medical expenses. They are tabulated as
under: -
Injury Cases Age: 54 Period of hospitalization Occupation and Business IT Income assessee Heads of Claim Tribunal High Court Sl No Amount (Rs) Amount (Rs) 1 Loss of Income 5,000/ - from to 2 Mental and physical sock 50,000/ - (i) Medicines FAO No. 6436 of 2010 3 Injury Cases (ii) Hospital Charges 25,000/ - (iii) Attendant Charges (iv) Special Diet (v) Transportation 3 Pain and Suffering 50,000/ - 1,00,000/ - 4 Disability 60% 5 Loss of earning 60% capacity Income 2,10,000/ - Multiplier 11 Loss of earning 13,86,000/ - capacity (2,10,000/ - x 60% x 11) 6 Loss of amenities 2,00,000/ -+ 1,00,000/ - 1,20,000/ - 7 Disfigurement 1,00,000/ - - Future expenses 2,50,000/ - Total 5,20,000/ - 18,61,000/ -
The total compensation payable shall be Rs.18,61,000/ -. The court has
provided for various heads which are un -usual. The tribunal shall not
create new heads of claim. There is no question of providing for
disfigurement for a person who has suffered amputation when an
appropriate head of claim shall be loss of amenities and for loss of
future earnings. The tribunal has also completely discarded the loss
of earning capacity on the ground that he continues in the same
work. The amputation of leg is a scheduled injury under the
Workmen Compensation Act and all regimes that provide for
compensation recognizes amputation cases as resulting in loss of
earning capacity. Here the loss is assessed as loss of earning
abilities on account of his serious handicap suffered. There shall be a
compensation of Rs.18,61,000/ -. The amount in excess of what has
already been granted by the Tribunal shall attract interest at the rate
of 7.5% per annum from the date of petition till the date of payment.
The award is modified and the appeal is allowed to the above extent.;
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