ORIENTAL INSURANCE CO. LTD. vs DEO PATODI .

The Supreme Court addressed the appropriate multiplier and multiplicand in a compensation claim under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, following the death of a promising student, Deepak Patodi. The Court upheld the High Court's decision to calculate loss of dependency at 2/3rd of the deceased's notional income of Rs.18,000 per month, applying a multiplier of 13, resulting in a total compensation of Rs.18,72,000, along with Rs.1,25,000 for medical expenses and Rs.25,000 for funeral costs. The ruling emphasized the need to consider the potential earnings and dependency of the claimants despite the deceased's bachelor status and educational pursuits.