Recently, a single bench of Delhi High Court has awarded over ₹ 1 crore as compensation to a 30-year-old woman who was left wheel-chair bound for the rest of her life after a road accident when she was a school-going girl in 2007. The bench of Justice Najmi Waziri enhanced by around ₹ 65 lakh the compensation of ₹ 47.49 lakh awarded by a lower court to the woman who suffered a 100 per cent permanent disability because of injuries to the spine and both her lower limbs.

The court's order came on appeals by the accident victim as well as the insurance company against the grant of compensation by the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT).

While the victim sought enhancement of compensation, the insurer said the awarded amount was on the higher side.

The court, citing medical opinion, observed the victim suffered 100 per cent functional disability, which required "alertness and care" for all her life, and her condition was "not associated with the daily life of an ordinary person".

"The appellant was a 14 year old adolescent, enjoying all the fun of a school-going girl of her age, till the fateful afternoon of 1st December, 2007 when returning from school, she met with a debilitating motor-vehicular accident. She has been rendered wheelchair bound for the rest of her life," said the court in a recent order.

"The award is enhanced by Rs.65,09,779/-. The total compensation awarded to the appellant-Jyoti Singh is Rs.1,12,59,389/- payable @7.5% p.a. w.e.f. 10.03.2008 i.e. the date of filing of the claim petition before the MACT, till its realization," ordered the court.