The Bombay High Court has finally delivered justice to a father who endured two decades of profound agony. This ruling concludes a 23-year-long battle following a devastating road accident that left his 12-year-old daughter in a coma for 16 years. Throughout this period, the father served as his daughter's sole caretaker, and the court has now ordered the insurance firm to pay a total of ₹37 lakh in compensation.
The Tragedy in Nashik
The incident took place in Nashik, Maharashtra. In 2003, the young girl was riding her bicycle home from tuition when a speeding van struck her. The impact caused severe injuries, resulting in a permanent vegetative state. For the next 16 years, the father dedicated his entire life to her bedside care. Initially, he approached the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, seeking a compensation of ₹4 lakh to manage medical expenses. However, the tribunal awarded only ₹50,000, a sum that barely covered the immense financial strain the family faced.
The Long Road to Legal Justice
The ordeal for the father was compounded by further personal tragedies; during the 16 years his daughter remained in a coma, his wife also passed away, leaving the father to manage both the household and the medical care alone. Following the daughter's death in 2019, the father persisted with his legal challenge at the High Court. Sixteen years after the initial accident, the court finally heard his appeal and addressed the inadequacy of the earlier tribunal decision.
Court Orders Substantial Compensation
Justice Jitendra Jain described the incident as "extremely tragic and unfortunate." Counsel for the father informed the court that the daily expenses for home-based care amounted to ₹1,500, not including the recurring costs of hospital visits in Mumbai and the loss of the father's income. Although The New India Assurance Company argued that the claim was excessive, the High Court prioritized the father's hardship. The judge stated that the grief of losing an only daughter at age 12 cannot be measured in monetary terms, and deemed the previous compensation of ₹50,000 to be grossly insufficient. Ultimately, the court increased the total compensation to ₹37 lakh, recognizing the immense toll the long struggle had taken on the father.
