New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- The Supreme Court on Monday awarded over Rs.83.38 lakh in compensation to a minor girl left permanently paralysed in a road accident, ruling that courts deciding claims for catastrophically injured children must recognise that "what has been taken away is not merely physical capacity but the child's entire future life."

A bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice NV Anjaria enhanced the compensation payable to Shreejita Pattnaik - who was six months old when she was paralysed in a 2015 crash - from Rs.45.40 lakh to Rs.83.38 lakh, along with 9% annual interest.

The Supreme Court held that while the child had been medically assessed with 90% permanent disability, her functional disability was effectively 100% because ...