The Kerala High Court has enhanced the compensation awarded to a young road accident victim, who was rendered fully disabled following a debilitating accident, from ₹11 lakh to ₹53 lakh.
Sumisha of Thrissur, now aged 26, was only seven years old when she met with an accident in 2006 and has since been living in an orphanage. She lost her mother in 2009 and her father in 2020, while her sister is living with her husband. The court cited these circumstances among the reasons for revising the earlier award of ₹11 lakh granted by the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT), Thrissur.
Her counsel said she was completely bedridden and unable to move from the bed, as all four limbs were non-functional due to the impact of the accident. In its report, the District Legal Services Authority, Thrissur, pointed out that she was unable to move on her own and had to be taken out of her room in a wheelchair. Her sister and the orphanage staff described how her health was in a critical condition.
A Class 1 student, at the time of the accident, she could not continue her studies due to the injuries she had sustained in the accident. She could not enjoy the life of a child, adolescent, or youth like others. She would also miss out on the fun of childhood, the excitement of youth, and the pleasures of marital life, and she could not have children. She could not enjoy the beauty of nature. She could not even walk inside the room in which she was confined, through no fault of her own, the court said while issuing the order on a petition filed by Sumisha seeking to enhance the quantum of compensation.
Published – May 27, 2025 09:16 pm IST
