K.S.RADHAKRISHNAN, DIPAK MISRA
K. Suresh – Appellant
Versus
New India Assurance Co. Ltd. – Respondent
2. Despite many a pronouncement in the field, it still remains a challenging situation warranting sensitive as well as dispassionate exercise how to determine the incalculable sum in calculable terms of money in cases of personal injuries. In such assessment neither sentiments nor emotions have any role. It has been stated in Davies vs. Powell Duffryn Associate Collieries Ltd., (1942 AC 601) that it is a matter of Pounds, Shillings and Pence. There cannot be actual compensation for anguish of the heart or for mental tribulations. The quintessentiality lies in the pragmatic computation of the loss sustained which has to be in the realm of realistic approximation. Therefore, Section 168 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (for brevity ‘the Act’) stipulates that there should be grant of “just compensation”. Thus, it becomes a challenge for a court of law to determine “just compensation” which is neither a bonanza nor a windfall, and simultaneously, should not be a pittance.
3. In Jai Bhagwan vs. Laxman Singh and others ((1994) 5 SCC 5), a three-Judge Bench of this Court, while considering the assessment of damages in personal-injury-actions, reproduced the following
Jai Bhagwan vs. Laxman Singh & Ors. ((1994) 5 SCC 5) 3
Nagappa vs. Gurudayal Singh & Ors. ((2003) 2 SCC 274) 4
C.K. Subramania Iyer vs. T. Kunhikuttan Nair (AIR 1970 SC 376) 6
Yadav Kumar vs. Divisional Manager
Concord of India Insurance Co. Ltd. vs. Nirmala Devi ((1979) 4 SCC 365) 8
Mrs. Helen C. Rebello & Ors. vs. Maharashtra State Road Transport Corpn. & Anr. (AIR 1998 SC 3191) 9
State of Haryana & Anr. vs. Jasbir Kaur & Ors. ((2003) 7 SCC 484) 9
Cholan Roadways Corporation Ltd. vs. Ahmed Thambi ((2006) 4 CTC 433 (Mad)) 17
Ramesh Chandra vs. Randhir Singh ((1990) 3 SCC 723) 17
R.D. Hattangadi vs. Pest Control (India) Pvt. Ltd. & Ors. ((1995) 1 SCC 551) 21
Arvind Kumar Mishra vs. New India Assurance Co. Ltd. & Anr. ((2010) 10 SCC 254) 22
Kerala SRTC vs. Susamma Thomas ((1994) 2 SCC 176) 22
Raj Kumar vs. Ajay Kumar & Anr. ((2011) 1 SCC 343 = 2011(1) CCR 71 (SC)) 23
Baker vs. Willoughby (1970 AC 467 : (1970) 2 WLR 50 : (1969) 3 All ER 1528 (HL)) 23
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