In Brief
A skilled carpenter, aged 38, suffered an above-the-knee amputation following a motorcycle accident caused by a negligently driven jeep in 2004. The lower courts restricted compensation by capping functional disability at 70% (medical rating) and assessing income at Rs. 5,000/month. The Supreme Court held that functional disability for specialized trades should be assessed at 100% when the injury destroys the person's specific earning capacity, irrespective of medical disability percentage. It enhanced the notional income to Rs. 9,000/month and awarded comprehensive compensation including Rs. 10 lakhs for prosthetic limb lifetime costs, applying 40% future prospects and a multiplier of 15, totaling Rs. 35,95,923 with 6% interest.
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