A 51-year-old woman, who lost her right arm in an accident caused by a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus 10 years ago, has been given custody of the same vehicle because she is yet to get compensation. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in Bengaluru recently ordered attaching of the TNSTC bus and asked the accident victim, Palaniyamma, to keep it in her possession until she gets full compensation.
Palaniyamma, a resident of Chamarajpet, had met with an accident while returning from Tamil Nadu in 2007. The driver lost control of the TNSTC bus while trying to overtake a private bus and crashed into that vehicle. The rash and negligent driving inflicted crush injuries on her right arm which had to be eventually amputated. She took loans to foot the medical bill.
Palaniyamma approached the tribunal and was awarded Rs 5 lakh as compensation in 2010. She moved the high court and got the compensation enhanced by Rs 4.29 lakh along with 6% interest. The TNSTC has paid only Rs 8 lakh. But the money is yet to reach her. Palaniyamma said no amount of money could give her arm back and the life that she had lost. “I have to depend on my family for every chore. I can’t wear clothes or take bath on my own. To this day, I have pain and take painkillers to suppress it,” she said.
Her lawyer, Suresh M Latur, filed an appeal before the tribunal for execution of the compensation order. The tribunal directed the authorities to seize the bus and hand it over to Palaniyamma. “She was 40 years old when she met with the accident, the family lost a working hand and that was one of the reasons the compensation was enhanced,” Suresh said.
He said the next hearing was on Monday and if the TNSTC failed to pay up, Palaniyamma would be at liberty to sell the bus and redeem the compensation through the proceeds.
Published 29 January 2017, 18:51 IST