In Brief
A 51-year-old Assistant Engineer employed by the Public Works Department died in a road accident in 2012, leaving a wife and children. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal awarded Rs. 44,04,912 in compensation. The High Court reduced this to Rs. 35,10,144 by applying a split multiplier, accounting for reduced income after the deceased's projected retirement. The Supreme Court held that split multipliers cannot be routinely applied and retirement is not an exceptional circumstance justifying their use. The Court restored compensation at Rs. 47,76,794 using the standard Sarla Verma method based on the deceased's age and income at death, emphasizing uniformity in compensation calculation across all courts.
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