India, March 23 -- In a significant ruling, the Bombay High Court has held that both the parents and parents-in-law of a married woman can claim compensation for her death in a road accident, as both can be considered dependents under the Motor Vehicles Act.

A single-judge bench of justice RM Joshi passed the order while hearing an appeal filed by Naigaon residents Masilamani Chettiar and his wife. They had challenged a March 12, 2025 order of the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), which awarded Rs.1.19 crore compensation only to John Philip Rodrigues and his wife Perpetua John Rodrigues, parents of their daughter-in-law Luiza died in an accident.

The case relates to a July 1, 2021 accident near Khopoli. Luiza Chettiar was travellin...