Delhi tribunal orders ₹2.92 crore payout after 2020 road crash

Nilmani Chauhan, a 32-year-old marketing executive, has been awarded more than ₹2.92 crore in compensation after a 2020 road crash left him with an 88% permanent disability.

In an August 12 order, the Delhi Motor Accident Claims Tribunal found that a car driven by Ramesh hit Chauhan’s two-wheeler on December 30, 2020. The tribunal said Chauhan sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury and can no longer stand or walk independently.

The award includes future loss of earnings, medical treatment and attendant charges, along with interest. The tribunal said Chauhan could not continue as a marketing executive because the role requires considerable movement, and that even desk work would require a full-time attendant.

The tribunal directed IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Co Ltd to make the payment. It rejected the insurer’s argument that Chauhan’s failure to wear a helmet amounted to contributory negligence, saying there was no evidence that it caused the crash.

It also dismissed the insurer’s allegation that the claim was fabricated, noting that the insurer had not filed a timely police complaint.