In a poignant case that lingered for over two decades, the Supreme Court of India has finally enhanced compensation for the family of Sharad Singh, a young man who was left paraplegic after a motor accident in 2001 and remained bedridden for 20 years until his death. The judgment, delivered on September 26, 2025, by Justices K. Vinod Chandran and N.V. Anjaria, modified the earlier orders of the Delhi High Court and awarded an increased sum to Singh’s legal representatives.
Background
Sharad Singh, only 20 at the time, was travelling pillion on a bike when a car, driven rashly and negligently, rammed into it from behind. The impact fractured his cervical spine (C4-5), leaving him completely immobile. Despite continuous treatment-including relocations to Goa due to adverse Delhi weather-he remained 100% disabled until he passed away in 2021.
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The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal had initially fixed his monthly income at just ₹3,339, the minimum wage for a workman in 2001. This formed the base for its compensation order of ₹18 lakh. Later, the Delhi High Court enhanced the figure to ₹32.46 lakh, including medical costs, attendant charges, and compensation for loss of amenities and marriage prospects. But Sharad’s mother, now his legal representative, pressed for further recognition of her son’s academic promise-he was a final-year B.Com student and enrolled with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
Court’s Observations
The bench heard detailed arguments on both medical expenses and income assessment. The insurance company had objected to medical bills from Goa hospitals, questioning why treatment was taken outside Delhi. Brushing this aside, Justice Chandran remarked, “The respondent-company having offices all over India cannot raise such a contention.” The Court accepted the family’s explanation that Sharad’s fragile condition and recurring pneumonia necessitated relocation.
On income, the Court took strong exception to the use of minimum wages as the benchmark. “We are not convinced that the minimum wages of a skilled worker can be adopted for a bright graduate preparing for Chartered Accountancy,” the bench noted. Instead, it pegged Sharad’s notional monthly income at ₹5,000 in 2001, with 40% added for future prospects. This recalculation brought the loss of income alone to over ₹15 lakh.
The Decision
Balancing medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other conventional heads, the Court raised the overall compensation to ₹40.34 lakh with 9% interest from the date of filing. Additionally, it directed the insurance company to pay ₹20 lakh towards future medical expenses incurred by Sharad’s parents, without interest if cleared within four months.
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With these modifications, the appeal filed by Singh’s mother was allowed. The Court’s order effectively closes a tragic but hard-fought chapter, acknowledging both the financial and emotional toll borne by a family that cared for their son in a state of complete immobility for two long decades.
Case: Sharad Singh (Dead) through LR vs. H.D. Narang & Anr.
Case Number: Civil Appeal No. 8136 of 2024
Date of Judgment: September 26, 2025
