In Brief
The parents of a deceased truck driver challenged the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal's award of compensation, which was based on the deceased's income of Rs. 5,746 per month (statutory minimum wage) rather than the claimed Rs. 15,000. The Supreme Court held that credible oral evidence of the deceased's actual earnings, even without a salary certificate, should not be wholly discarded in favour of automatic application of minimum wage. The Court accepted that the deceased, a heavy vehicle driver, likely earned Rs. 8,000-15,000 per month. The Court also recognized the parents as dependents entitled to parental consortium. The appeal was partly allowed, awarding additional compensation of Rs. 4,13,964.
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