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MUMBAI: Observing that finding a husband was a Herculean task even for a “normal” person these days and “impossible” for someone who had lost a leg, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal has awarded Rs 2 lakh as relief over “loss of future marriage prospect” to a woman who lost a limb in an accident in 2015. It awarded a further Rs 2 lakh to make up for her “inability to attend social functions” and Rs 2 lakh for “loss of amenities and pleasure of life”. The Rs 6 lakh was part of Rs 28 lakh compensation awarded to the 34-year-old woman.

The tribunal relied on a Madras high court order which said if a person chose to remain unmarried, it was a different matter, but if a person was compelled to remain single due to injuries sustained and consequent amputation, it would be ‘utmost agonizing’.

The woman and her mother were on their way to Thane in her father’s auto on November 14, 2015, when a speeding SUV hit their vehicle at Kanjurmarg.

Mother gets Rs 16 lakh, dad Rs 60,000

The woman deposed in the tribunal in detail. “It is impossible for her to get a suitable groom,” the tribunal said. The other heads under which the payout was calculated included loss of income resulting from disability, special diet, conveyance and attendant charges, costs towards an artificial limb and medical expenses.

In two other orders, the woman’s 54-year-old mother was awarded a compensation of around Rs 16 lakh for serious injuries suffered in the accident, and her 57-year-old father was awarded a payout of around Rs 60,000. The compensation will have to be paid by SBI General Insurance and the vehicle owner, Bhayandarbased Shree Tours & Travels.

