AIROnline 2025 SC 815

Supreme Court Of India

Hon'ble Judge(s): K. Vinod Chandran, N. V. Anjaria , JJ

Motor Vehicles Act (59 of 1988) , S.168— Motor accident - Death claim - Death whether direct result of accident - Determination - Deceased involved in accident, suffered minor fractures and non-healing ulcer on his foot - Five months later, while undergoing skin-grafting surgery for ulcer, he died of pulmonary embolism/acute myocardial infarction - Doctor admitted that initial injuries were not serious in nature - Doctor also stated that victim had history of high cholesterol and mild blood pressure, and that cause of death was not definitively confirmed due to family's refusal to allow post-mortem examination - Mere "proximity" of accident to death was not sufficient to establish direct causal link - Even preponderance of probability was not found - In absence of conclusive evidence to prove such nexus, High Court had rightly considered claim for injuries but rejected claim for compensation for death (Para 9 10 11) .....