Can exclusive wards be set up to assess disability of accident victims: HC

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court in an interim order has directed the State government to explore the possibility of setting up exclusive wards in government hospitals for assessing disability of road accident victims. The disability certificate issued by a medical board is necessary in awarding compensation to victims by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT).

The HC passed the order on a plea moved by C Jagadeesan who stated that he was compelled to get admitted in the ICU of a government hospital for almost a month to assess his disability. According to the petitioner, he was an autorickshaw driver and met with an accident in 2014. Suffering grievous injuries and spending Rs 1.75 lakh, he moved a petition before the MACT seeking a compensation.

On November 28, 2017, the MACT directed Jagadeesan to the medical board of Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital to assess disability. However, the board ordered him to get admitted for a month in the neuro ward. Due to coldness on the floor, he contracted fever. Still, he could not get the certificate as the doctors were busy in attending patients who needed urgent care.

On February 12, 2018, he was again admitted, but was forced to a similar ordeal. Despite the sufferings, he was unable to get the certificate within the time stipulated by the tribunal. Jagadeesan then moved the High Court seeking direction to provide him with the certificate.

On Monday, Justice K Ravichandrababu, who heard the plea, was informed by Jagadeesan that he got his certificate. However, in the interest of disabled persons, Jagadeesan sought the court’s intervention in directing the State to consider establishing a separate ward for such cases.