MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently dismissed an appeal filed by the TNSTC against a tribunal order directing it to issue Rs 36.35 lakh compensation to a victim, whose arm was amputated following an accident in 2016, and also enhanced the compensation to Rs 50.29 lakh.
As per the case, G Sivagami, who had been working as a school teacher in Virudhunagar, was hit by a government bus on August 10, 2016, resulting in the amputation of her right arm. Citing negligence by the bus driver, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in Srivilliputhur directed TNSTC to pay Rs 36.35 lakh as compensation to the victim in 2019. Challenging the tribunal's order, the transport corporation preferred an appeal, while Sivagami also filed an appeal seeking enhancement of compensation.
Hearing the plea, a division bench of Justices V Bhavani Subbaroyan and KK Ramakrishnan observed that a working woman holds responsibilities both at the working place as well as at home. A wife's responsibility never ends as she has a duty to take care of her husband and children. In each stage of her life, she has different roles, the judges observed, adding that the victim, following the amputation, remains unable to do household chores or continue with her work.
"Woman companionship is something extraordinary. In each stage, woman companionship is required by all family members. That is why, all over the world, law courts, while determining the compensation in the case of a woman claimant, have given special attention to her, considering her household duties," the judges said.
Stating that disability is worse than the fatal accident as the victim has to lead her life with a permanent disability, the judges enhanced the compensation from Rs 36.35 lakh to Rs 50.29 lakh, and directed the corporation to pay the increased compensation to the woman.