Extracted from the PDF above. The PDF is authoritative.
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HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6914 MFA No. 47 of 2024
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 5TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE P SREE SUDHA MISCELLANEOUS FIRST APPEAL NO. 47 OF 2024 (MV-I) BETWEEN:
B ANJALI W/O B THANGARAJ, AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS,
RESIDING AT NO. 62, BOMMANAHALLI, NEAR GANESHA TEMPLE, HOSUR ROAD, BENGALURU
NATIVE ADDRESS, NO. 26, THUMBURU H.W NARAYANAVNAM CHITTOR DISTRICT. …APPELLANT (BY SRI. SREENIVASAIAH A., ADVOCATE) AND:
1.
M AJITH KUMAR S/O MAHENDRAN, NO. 567, AMMAPET P.O SALEM TALUK AND DISTRICT, SALEM-636 003.
2.
THE MANAGER UNITED INDIA INSURANCE CO. LTD., R.O NO. 18, 5TH FLOOR, KRUSHI BHAVAN, HUDSON CIRCLE, BENGALURU-560 001. …RESPONDENTS
Digitally signed by PADMASHREE SHEKHAR DESAI Location: High Court of Karnataka
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HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6914 MFA No. 47 of 2024
(BY SRI. B.S. KRISHNA., ADVOCATE FOR R2, V/O DTD:24.01.2024, NOTICE TO R1 IS D/W)
THIS MFA IS FILED U/S 173(1) OF MV ACT AGAINST THE
JUDGMENT AND AWARD DATED 22.06.2023 PASSED IN MVC NO.2612/2021 ON THE FILE OF THE II ADDITIONAL JUDGE AND ACMM, COURT OF SMALL CAUSES, BENGALURU (SCCH.13), PARTLY ALLOWING THE CLAIM PETITION FOR COMPENSATION AND SEEKING ENHANCEMENT OF COMPENSATION.
THIS APPEAL COMING ON FOR ADMISSION THIS DAY,
JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:
CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE P SREE SUDHA
ORAL JUDGMENT This appeal is filed by the appellant/claimant under Section 173(1) of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 challenging the
judgment and award dated 22.06.2023 passed in MVC No.2612/2021 on the file of the II Additional Judge and ACMM, Court Of Small Causes, Bengaluru, for enhancing the compensation. 2. Heard the arguments of the learned counsel for the appellant and respondent. The ranks of the parties are retained as per tribunal for the sake of convenience. - 3 -
HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6914 MFA No. 47 of 2024
3. Injured claimant met with an accident on 17.05.2020 and filed claim petition claiming compensation of Rs.20 lakhs. The Tribunal considering the entire evidence on record granted global compensation of Rs.50,000/- with interest at the rate of 6% per annum from date of petition till realisation. 4. Aggrieved by the said award, he preferred an appeal and mainly contended that the Tribunal granted global compensation including Ex.P7/Medical Bills. Petitioner sustained grievous head injury. As per Ex.P4 the wound certificate and Ex.P6 is the discharge summary, injured sustained severe pain, swelling, deformity of crush injury, left lower limb-suggestive of type III B compound fracture of both bones left leg, lacerated wound of measuring 4x5cm over medial aspect of left leg. He was discharged after Medical Advise. PW4 doctor stated that the whole body disability is 20% and she was unable to bite and chew hard food due to maxilla fracture. The Tribunal ought to have taken monthly income of the petitioner as Rs.20,000/- and thus requested for enhancement. Petitioner stated that she was a coolie and earning Rs.20,000/- per month. But she has not filed any income proof. As she met with an accident in the year 2020 her
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HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6914 MFA No. 47 of 2024
notional income is to be taken as Rs.14,500/- as per the chart prepared by Karnataka State Legal Services Authority. She was aged 39 years and the multiplier taken is 15. 5. The petitioner examined PW4/Dr.N.Chaitanya Babu, dental surgeon and he stated that petitioner sustained Orofacial injuries like PAN facial fracture and assessed the whole body disability at 20%. He produced X-ray under Ex.P19. In the cross-examination, he stated that he is not a treating doctor and she came to him only for assessment of the disability due to facial injuries. He verified wound certificate and discharge summary. There is no such facial injury mentioned in the wound certificate and it is only mentioned as swelling on the right face.
In the discharge summary, fracture is mentioned. It was further suggested that he is not competant to assess the disability and the assessment is false and that there is no functional disability due to the facial injury sustained in the accident. Tribunal considered that the petitioner suffered pain swelling deformity of right side of the face, left ear bleed, scalp laceration and was discharged from the hospital on the same day and accordingly granted global compensation of Rs.50,000/- along with interest 6% p.a. In the cross
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HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6914 MFA No. 47 of 2024
examination of PW4, it is stated that he is not aware about the provisions which provides disability to the facial injuries and there is no functional disability due to the facial injuries. Injuries will not lead to any loss of earning capacity. Thus, tribunal has not granted any amount under the head loss of future earnings. Due to injuries sustained to the face, it cannot be said that she sustained any loss of future earning capacity therefore she is not entitled for any amount under the said title. 6. Considering the nature of injuries and the disability assessed by the doctor and the period of hospitalization, the fact that she was in the hospital only for 1 day. This court finds it reasonable to grant an amount of Rs.15,000/- for pain and suffering, Rs.15,000/- for loss of amenities and Rs.15,000/- for transportation and extra nourishment. Further, petitioner might not have attended any other work at least for a period of 2 months due to the injuries sustained in the accident. Hence, Rs.29,000/- is granted under the head loss of income during laid up period. - 6 -
HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6914 MFA No. 47 of 2024
7. Thus in all, components awarded by this court are as below,
Hence, the compensation granted by tribunal is enhanced from Rs.50,000/- to Rs.1,24,000/- along with interest at the rate of 6% p.a.
8. In the result, the following order is passed:
ORDER i. Appeal is allowed in part.
ii. The judgment and award dated 22.06.2023 passed in MVC No.2612/2021 on the file of the Sl. Nos. Particulars Amount in Rs. 1 Pain and suffering 15,000 2 Loss of amenities 15,000 3 Transportation, extra nourishment and attendant charges. 15,000 4 Loss of income during laid down period 29,000 5 Tribunal global compensation 50,000
Total 1,24,000
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HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:6914 MFA No. 47 of 2024
II Additional Judge and ACMM, Court Of Small Causes, Bengaluru, is modified.
iii. The claimants are entitled to a sum of Rs.74,000/- along with interest at 6% p.a., from the date of petition till the date of realization, instead of Rs.50,000/- granted by the tribunal.
iv. Respondent/Insurance Company has already deposited the awarded amount before the Tribunal. Therefore, respondent/Insurance Company is directed to deposit the enhanced compensation of Rs.74,000/- along with the interest at the rate of 6% within one month from the date of this order.
v. On such deposit, claimant is permitted to withdraw the entire amount along with interest accrued on the same.
Sd/- (P SREE SUDHA) JUDGE AKV CT:NR List No.: 1 Sl No.: 65