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'Seize assets to pay damages to accident victim'

Her story might be an inspiration for the physically challenged but justice has remained elusive for her.

In 2008, a bus accident left research engineer S Thenmozhi, 30, paraplegic. In April 2013, the motor accident claims tribunal directed the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) to provide her a compensation of 57.9 lakh. However, TNSTC refused to budge and on Tuesday a city court ordered attaching of movable assets of the transport corporation.

Thenmozhi was employed in C-DOT, a telecom technology development centre in Bangalore. On July 21, 2008, she was coming to Chennai in a private bus. Around 2am, the bus had a flat tyre and the driver parked it on the left side of the road near Pallikonda in Vellore district on the Bangalore-Chennai highway. While the tyre was being changed, a TNSTC bus of Dharmapuri division hit the stationary bus.

The rear part of the bus was smashed and passengers were injured. Thenmozhi who had a seat at the back of the bus suffered grave injuries to her spinal cord and legs. She was admitted in MIOT Hospital and later shifted to All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Delhi. She underwent medical treatment for around four years.

In her submissions to the tribunal, Thenmozhi said at the time of the accident she was pregnant and had to undergo abortion. Paralysed below the waist, she had to use a wheelchair and was declared 100% disabled. She would have to use adult diapers all her life and was unable to perform routine activities as a normal person, she said.

Though a paraplegic, she continued her job. She was earning a basic salary of 28,880 at the time of the accident. She lost income of 44 months and had to spend a considerable amount on medical treatment, she said, asking for a compensation.

On April 30, 2013, the tribunal directed TNSTC to pay her the compensation within two weeks. As the state transport corporation failed to pay the amount even after a year, Thenmozhi filed an execution petition. S Meenakumari, judge, motor accident claims tribunal, small causes court V, on Tuesday ordered the attachment of movable properties of TNSTC's Dharmapuri division.

Article referred: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Seize-assets-to-pay-damages-to-accident-victim/articleshow/37146441.cms

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