In Brief
A 37-year-old employee suffered a severe spinal injury (C6-C7 fracture with dislocation) in a motor vehicle accident, resulting in 100% functional disability and permanent paralysis below the neck. The High Court awarded Rs. 78,16,390 as compensation. The Supreme Court enhanced this to Rs. 1,02,29,241, holding that: (1) future prospects for a permanently employed claimant below age 40 should be calculated at 50%, not 40%; and (2) compensation for 'pain and suffering' should be Rs. 15,00,000 instead of the lower amount awarded, recognizing the lifelong, irreparable nature of disability and the claimant's profound loss of normal life. The Court acknowledged the inherent difficulty of converting intangible suffering into monetary terms and applied individualized assessment based on medical evidence and case circumstances.
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