Overview
- The Supreme Court on Tuesday raised an amputee’s award to about Rs 49.22 lakh and ordered the insurer to pay an extra Rs 36.20 lakh within four weeks or face 9% annual interest.
- The bench set a lifetime pricing method using a 70-year life expectancy, a five-year prosthetic lifespan, seven replacements, Rs 3 lakh per limb, and Rs 5 lakh for maintenance.
- The court granted a consolidated Rs 26 lakh for prosthetic purchase and upkeep to cover replacements and long-term care.
- The judges rejected government-notified rates as abysmally low and said victims may choose reasonable devices from private providers that fit their needs.
- The ruling also guides tribunals by accepting reasonable income claims for low-wage workers and by requiring cost quotes from multiple prosthetic providers for future claims.