For unproven earnings, motor-accident compensation must use KSLSA notional-income guidelines and include future prospects.

The appellants, parents of the deceased, sought compensation after their 28-year-old son died in a collision with an NWKRTC bus on 17 August 2019.

The Tribunal awarded ₹13,91,200 with interest at 6% per annum.

The parents appealed, contending that the deceased’s income had been assessed too low, future prospects had not been included, and the interest rate was inadequate

1. Whether the compensation awarded by the Tribunal was inadequate and warranted enhancement

2. What order should follow from the Court’s determination of the compensation issue

Under Section 173(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, an aggrieved claimant may appeal against a Tribunal’s award.

In assessing fatal-accident compensation, the Court applied the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority guidelines to determine notional income where documentary proof of income was absent; *National Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Pranay Sethi*, (2017) 16 SCC, for future prospects and escalation of conventional heads; and *Magma General Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Nanu Ram*, 2018 ACJ 2782, in awarding consortium.

The Court applied a 40% addition for future prospects, a 50% deduction for the deceased bachelor’s personal expenses, and a multiplier of 17

Because the deceased’s income was unproved and the accident occurred in 2019, the Court assessed his monthly notional income at ₹13,250 under the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority guidelines.

It added 40% for future prospects, deducted 50% for personal expenses because he was a bachelor, and applied multiplier 17, fixing loss of dependency at ₹18,92,100.

It also awarded ₹96,800 for consortium to the parents and ₹18,150 each for loss of estate and funeral and transportation expenses, including the applicable escalations

The resulting compensation was ₹20,25,200.

It modified the Tribunal’s award, enhancing compensation from ₹13,91,200 to ₹20,25,200 with interest at 6% per annum from the petition date until realization; no interest was payable on the enhanced amount for the delayed period.

The respondent was directed to deposit the compensation with accrued interest within eight weeks, with apportionment and disbursement to follow the Tribunal’s order