#functional disability

The Supreme Court upheld a multiplier of 16 for the parents of a 33-year-old bachelor under the Sarla Verma matrix, and raised the pillion rider's functional disability to 100% based on a Medical Board report confirming total permanent incapacity from cortical blindness, pelvic fractures, and a permanent colostomy. The ₹3.77 crore award with 7.5% interest sets a precedent for catastrophic injury compensation.

The Allahabad HC held quadriplegia warrants 100% functional disability despite 70% medical certification, granted 50% future prospects under Rule 220A, allowed multiplier-based attendant charges, and awarded past medical expenses conservatively despite missing bills, nearly doubling the MACT award for a 22-year-old conductor.

The JK High Court cut the motor-accident award by mandating that functional disability be measured against the claimant’s earning capacity, rejecting a 100 % disability assumption. It also struck a Rs 1 lakh future-medical expense claim with no proof. Insurers and claimants must now base compensation on realistic loss of earnings.

Bombay HC rules that functional disability in motor accident compensation must reflect the claimant’s occupation-specific impact, not just medical ratings. Applying the Supreme Court’s Pranay Sethi guidelines retroactively, the Court enhanced compensation for drivers, emphasizing income-based disability assessment over generic medical percentages.

Bombay High Court rules that functional disability in motor accident claims must align with the medical board’s certificate, not private assessments. The judgment reinforces that tribunals must accept board-certified disability percentages as conclusive evidence unless proven fraudulent, impacting compensation calculations for claimants.

The Karnataka High Court awarded Rs. 10,000 for medical expenses despite no supporting bills and increased loss of amenities to Rs. 30,000 for a 33% functional disability, affirming that equitable compensation must account for real suffering even when documentation is lacking. This sets a critical precedent for claimants in rural or low-income settings where medical records are often unobtainable.

The Karnataka High Court ruled that disability assessment for compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act must reflect the actual occupational impairment of manual workers, not just physical impairment. Applying a 60% functional disability and Rs. 14,500 notional income, the Court enhanced compensation for a worker with left forearm amputation, setting a precedent for occupation-specific disability evaluations in motor accident claims.

Allahabad HC affirms that a carpenter's leg amputation constitutes functional disability, rendering him unfit for his profession. The court upheld Rs. 24.18 lakh compensation, emphasizing occupational context over generic disability metrics, setting a precedent for skill-specific injury claims.

The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that compensation for agricultural workers must be calibrated to actual loss of earning capacity, not merely medical disability percentages. In this case, a 5% medical impairment was upgraded to 10% functional disability because the injury severely restricted the claimant’s ability to perform farm labor, setting a precedent for occupation-specific assessments in rural claimants.

The Jharkhand High Court has ruled that compensation in motor accident claims must be calculated based on functional disability - not merely medical diagnosis - and must include future prospects, conveyance costs, attendant charges, and pain and suffering even in non-fatal cases. This sets a critical precedent for claimants with permanent physical limitations, ensuring compensation reflects real-life loss of earning capacity and quality of life, not just clinical reports.

The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that compensation for homemakers under the Motor Vehicles Act must account for functional disability over mere medical percentages. The Court enhanced compensation to Rs. 7,12,800 with 9% interest, emphasizing that loss of earning capacity for homemakers must reflect their actual inability to perform household duties, not just clinical assessments.

The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that permanent bilateral below-knee amputation constitutes 100% functional disability, entitling claimants to full loss of earning capacity even without documentary income proof. The court used minimum wage as baseline, added 25% for future prospects, and applied a multiplier of 14 - setting a critical precedent for severely disabled claimants with informal employment.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that disability certificates issued under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 carry statutory validity and need not be proved by examining the issuing doctor unless their genuineness is specifically disputed. This streamlines compensation claims in motor accident cases by reducing evidentiary burdens on claimants.

The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that total disablement under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923, is assessed based on the worker’s inability to perform pre-accident duties, not merely the extent of physical injury. The Court upheld Rs. 73,100 compensation for a Foreman who lost four fingers, emphasizing functional incapacity over medical impairment.

Gauhati HC rules that compensation for motor accident claims must be based on functional disability-assessing the claimant’s profession, daily limitations, and actual earning impairment-rather than relying solely on medical disability percentages. The judgment underscores the need for independent evaluation of loss of earning capacity under the Motor Vehicles Act.