The Supreme Court of India on Friday stepped in to enhance compensation for a young accident survivor from Chennai who had suffered severe, life-altering injuries more than a decade ago. What began as a routine two-wheeler ride on Republic Day in 2012 turned into a catastrophic collision, leaving the claimant with serious functional limitations.
Background
R. Logeshkumar, just 21 at the time, was riding his motorcycle near Kamarajapuram junction when a jeep allegedly driven rashly crashed into him. The jeep was insured, and the victim initially sought ₹15 lakh before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, which granted only ₹3.98 lakh plus interest.
Unsatisfied, he approached the Madras High Court. The High Court raised the figure to ₹14.65 lakh, acknowledging his permanent disability and severe brain injuries. But even that did not reflect his lifelong dependence and inability to earn, his counsel argued before the top court.
Court’s Observations
A Bench led by Justice K.V. Viswanathan and Justice S.V.N. Bhatti observed that the young man’s condition including hemiparesis meant he could not live independently or return to work. The High Court had assessed him as suffering 100% functional disability.
While considering the leap from minimal compensation to actual justice, the Court remarked that tribunals must ensure “just and fair compensation,” not strictly what is claimed. The judges cited earlier precedents allowing grants exceeding the original claim when the evidence demands it.
Looking at the salary assessed by the High Court, the Bench felt future prospects a natural component of wages for a young worker could not be ignored.
“Taking note of the loss of monthly income… we deem it appropriate to add 1/3rd of the salary as the future loss of income,” the Bench said.
The Court also took a humane approach to his day-to-day reality. “He cannot be expected to live independently,” it noted, awarding a lump-sum ₹3 lakh for attendant services so that “life is smooth” despite his disability.
However, the Court rejected his plea for an additional ₹1.08 lakh towards medical expenses, as no convincing proof had been accepted by the High Court.
Decision
In total, the Supreme Court enhanced compensation to ₹21,75,681, up from the High Court’s ₹14.65 lakh, with 7.5% interest on the additional amount from the date of the original claim petition. The Court also directed Logeshkumar to deposit the deficit court fee within six weeks.
The appeal was allowed in part, with no order as to costs marking a long-awaited relief for the now-adult whose life changed in seconds on a Chennai road.
Case Title:- R. Logeshkumar v. P. Balasubramaniam & Another
Case Type: Civil Appeal (from SLP (C) No. 4845 of 2025)
