Ruling that compensation for “loss of future prospects” can also be granted in the case of a housewife’s death, a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) last week ordered the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to pay around Rs 17 lakh to the husband & 2 minor children of a 33-year-old woman who was killed after a bus rammed into their bike at Mankhurd in 2014.
“Loss of future prospects” is among the heads covered while awarding compensations in motor accident cases. The MACT fixed the deceased housewife’s notional salary at Rs 5,000 per month.
A possible future increase in this notional monthly income was pegged at 40 per cent, bringing the loss of future prospects to Rs 7,000 per month. The tribunal cited a recent Apex Court Judgment & said, “The housewife who contributes for the welfare of the family & upbringing for the children must be given future prospects in as much as with the passage of time, the utility of her services increases in the family.”
It said that a housewife’s services to the family are invaluable.
The Tribunal said that “The housewife renders very important duty. She looks after her husband & children passionately round the clock & creates the comfort zone in the house. In the absence of her in a house for a single day realises her importance (sic) to the other family members".
The tribunal refuted the defence that only when the housewife renders skilled services to the family does the question of future prospects come. It said that judgement does not make any distinction between a skilled & unskilled housewife.
“In fact housewife is a housewife & with the passage of time her skill in tackling & handling household affairs increases,” the MACT said, quoting the Top Court Judgement. While the victim’s husband & older son will each receive 30 per cent of the compensation amount, the younger son will receive the remaining 40%.It, however, rejected Archana’s parentsin-law as claimants.
Source Link
Picture Source :
