{
  "id": 8005602,
  "title": "‘No casual worker’: 29 years after woman’s accident death, daughter gets Rs 58 lakh",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/no-casual-worker-29-years-after-womans-accident-death-daughter-gets",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T10:30:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/legal-news/no-casual-worker-29-years-woman-accident-death-daughter-rs-58-lakh-10882084/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 1997, a bus accident in Punjab claimed the life of a woman who was travelling from Chandigarh to Pathankot. An FIR was later registered at a Kangra district police station after a truck collided head-on with the bus. The woman, who had been working as an Anganwari worker and tailor, died at the scene. Her daughter, a minor at the time of the incident, was awarded Rs 1.92 lakh by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) on November 1, 2001, for the loss. However, the High Court has now increased the compensation to Rs 57.96 lakh, stating that the earlier ruling was legally unsustainable. The tribunal's decision to classify the woman as a casual manual labourer was deemed unjustified as she was the sole breadwinner for her family. The court ruled that the daughter should receive compensation for her mother's loss, including the value of her care and affection, funeral expenses, and parental consortium. The total compensation, including interest, amounts to Rs 57.96 lakh, significantly higher than the initial award.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Woman dies in 1997 bus accident in Punjab.",
    "Daughter awarded Rs 1.92 lakh in 2001, deemed insufficient.",
    "High Court raises compensation to Rs 57.96 lakh."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}