- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20299 MFA No. 5501 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 9TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE P SREE SUDHA MISCELLANEOUS FIRST APPEAL NO. 5501 OF 2025 (MV-D) BETWEEN: SMT. SHILPA W/O MANJUNATHA, AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS, R/AT KANAKANAGARA, HALE KUMSI, KUMSI POST, SHIVAMOGGA TALUK AND DISTRICT-577 201. …APPELLANT (BY SRI. M V MAHESWARAPPA., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. KUMAR D. S/O DHARMAPPA, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, R/AT GANDHINAGAR, 2ND CROSS, SAGARA TQ. SHIMOGGA DISTRICT-577 201 AND AYANURU HARNALLI ROAD, SHIMOVAMOGGA TALUK AND SHIMVOAGGA DIST. 2. SUNIL PAI S/O SHANTHARAM PAI, INSURED OF CHEVROLET CAR BEARING NO. KA 04 AA 5345 R/AT JOGA ROAD, SHRINAGARA, SAGARA TALUK, SHIMOGA DIST-577 201. Digitally signed by PADMASHREE SHEKHAR DESAI Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20299 MFA No. 5501 of 2025 3. THE MANAGER, UNIVERSAL SOMPO GENERAL COMPANY LTD., NO. 103, 1ST FLOOR, ACKRUTI STAR, MIDC CENTRAL ROAD, ANDHERI EAST, MUMBAI-40093, MAHARASHTRA STATE. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. HEGDE SUBRAYA VENKATARAMAN., ADVOCATE FOR R3 (ABSENT), V/O DTD:12.11.2025 NOTICE TO R1 IS D/W, R2 SERVED) THIS MFA IS FILED U/S.173(1) OF MV ACT, AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND AWARD DT.09.04.2025 PASSED IN MVC NO.126/2022 ON THE FILE OF THE I ADDITIONAL DISTRICT JUDGE AND ADDITIONAL MACT-I, SHIVAMOGGA, PARTLY ALLOWING THE CLAIM PETITION FOR COMPENSATION AND SEEKING ENHANCEMENT OF COMPENSATION. THIS APPEAL COMING ON FOR FINAL HEARING 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 09.04.2025 passed in MVC No.126/2022 on the file of the I Additional District Judge and - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20299 MFA No. 5501 of 2025 Additional Mact-I, Shivamogga, for enhancing the compensation. 2. Heard the arguments of the learned counsel for the appellant. Learned counsel for respondent No.3 remained absent. The ranks of the parties are retained as per tribunal for the sake of convenience. 3. Venugopal minor child aged 9 years met with an accident on 24.11.2021 and died subsequently, his mother as a natural guardian filed claim petition claiming compensation of Rs.61,10,000/-. The Tribunal considering the entire evidence on record granted an amount of Rs.2,75,000/- along with interest at the rate of 9% p.a. from the date of petition till realisation. 4. Aggrieved by the said award, she preferred an appeal and mainly contended that the petitioner was aged 9 years at the time of the accident and studying third standard, he was their only son. But the Tribunal granted meager compensation by considering his notional income as Rs.30,000/- p.a., and reasonable amounts are not granted under other heads and - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20299 MFA No. 5501 of 2025 thus requested for enhancement of the compensation. Learned counsel for the appellant relied upon the citation reported in (2014) SCC 396 in case of Hitesh Nagjibhai Patel Vs Bababhai Nagjibhai Rabari and Anr, in which it was held that the Tribunal has to consider the minimum wages of the particular year in order to arriving for calculation of the compensation. For the same proportion learned counsel for the appellant relied upon another citation reported in (2020) 4 SCC 413 in case of Karuna Parmar Vs Prakash Sinha & Ors. He also filed chart of minimum wages for the year 2021- 2022, if we consider the income of the skilled worker for the relevant year, it comes to Rs.15076 (highly skilled) and the relevant multiplier to be taken as 15. He is also entitled for 40% towards future prospects and 50% is deducted towards expenses. Hence, loss of dependency comes to Rs.15,076 + 40% x 12 x 15 - 50%= Rs.18,99,576/-. The petitioner No.1 is mother of the deceased and she is entitled for an amount of Rs.44,000/- towards filial consortium and also Rs.33,000/- under the conventional heads. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20299 MFA No. 5501 of 2025 5. Thus in all, components awarded by this court are as below, Hence, the compensation granted by tribunal is enhanced from Rs.2,75,000/- to Rs.19,76,576/- along with interest at the rate of 6% p.a. 6. In the result, the following order is passed: ORDER i. Appeal is allowed in part. ii. The judgment and award dated 09.04.2025 passed in MVC No.126/2022 on the file of the I Additional District Judge and Additional Mact-I, Shivamogga, is modified. Sl.Nos. Particulars Amount in Rs. 1 Towards loss of dependency 18,99,576 2 Towards loss of consortium 44,000 3 Conventional heads 33,000 Total 19,76,576 - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:20299 MFA No. 5501 of 2025 iii. The claimant is entitled for a sum of Rs.19,76,576/- along with interest at 6% p.a., from the date of petition till the date of realization, instead of Rs.2,75,000/- 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.17,01,576/- along with the interest at the rate of 6% within one month from the date of this order. v. On such deposit, claimant/mother of the deceased 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.: 76