Shakti Devi vs New India Insurance Co. Ltd. & Anr

The Supreme Court held that the compensation awarded under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 for the death of a 22-year-old in a motor accident was inadequate. The Court emphasized the application of the multiplier method for calculating compensation, referencing the precedent set in General Manager, Kerala State Road Transport Corporation v Susamma Thomas, which establishes that the multiplier method is sound and should be consistently applied. The Court ultimately increased the compensation amount, recognizing the need for a fair assessment of dependency and loss.