In Brief
A widow sought enhanced compensation after her husband, a mechanical engineer earning Rs.5,00,000 annually, died in a motorcycle accident. The Tribunal and High Court awarded only Rs.13,91,300 based on an assumed income of Rs.90,000 per year. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that Income Tax Returns are statutory documents that must form the basis for determining income in accident compensation claims. The Court recalculated compensation to Rs.24,53,280 using the deceased's actual Income Tax Return showing gross income of Rs.1,98,192 per annum, along with proper future prospects and multipliers.
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