SC on accident claims

The Supreme Court has called for a change in attitude of motor accident claims tribunals which has been ruling in favour of depositing the compensation amount in long term fixed deposits, causing inconvenience to victims.

“This court issued certain guidelines in order to safeguard the feed from being frittered away by the beneficiaries due to ignorance, illiteracy and susceptibility to exploitation,” the bench comprising justices Cyriac Joseph and T S Thakur said in a verdict delivered on January 27.  “Even as per the guidelines issued by this Court, long term fixed deposit of amount of compensation is mandatory only in the case of minors, illiterate claimants and widows,” the bench said.

The court  clarified that a plea for cash disbursal will be entertained for illiterate claimants.