Kerala HC increases compensation for deceased nurse's family

The Kerala High Court has ruled that a family will receive ₹3.65 crore in compensation after the tragic death of a nurse in a road accident. The nurse, Shibi, was working in Australia when the accident occurred in Omalloor, Pathanamthitta. Justice Johnson John noted that the previous compensation of ₹2.91 crore, awarded in 2018, was not enough. Shibi was 34 years old and her father, Abraham, was 64 at the time of the accident, which happened in 2013. The family's concern was that Shibi's compensation should reflect her monthly earnings of ₹4.75 lakh. After tax deductions, her annual income was about ₹32.56 lakh. The court decided that her earnings should be projected over 16 years, rather than the 10 years the tribunal considered. As a result, the court added ₹73.66 lakh to the compensation amount. The court also ordered that interest be paid at a rate of 7% per year from the date the claim was filed.