The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has enhanced the financial compensation for a Bengaluru acid attack survivor to Rs 17,21,865, ruling that his medical disability was incorrectly calculated in a previous state-level tribunal order.
A two-member bench comprising Presiding Member Justice Sudip Ahluwalia and Member Dr. Sadhna Shanker issued the order on August 7, allowing a revision petition filed by the victim, Ramanathan M. The national commission adjusted the earlier award granted by the Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission after noticing a discrepancy in the survivor’s medical evaluation record.
Correction in Disability Assessment
The national tribunal found that the state commission had improperly pegged Ramanathan’s functional disability at 50 percent when calculating his payout. Medical documentation issued on September 25, 2009, by St. John’s Medical College and Hospital had certified his permanent disability at 75 percent due to severe facial disfigurement.
By applying the correct 75 percent threshold, the commission elevated the specific component for permanent facial disfigurement from Rs 8,04,576 to Rs 12,06,864. Adding this revised sum to approved medical and incidental expenses brought his total finalized claim to Rs 17,21,865, up from the Rs 13,19,577 fixed by the state panel. The commission declined to modify other compensation heads, noting that the medical certificate predated his formal 2010 complaint.
Details of the 2007 Incident
The dispute stems from an incident on May 4, 2007, inside Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru, where Ramanathan had been employed as a pharmacist since October 2004. Ramanathan was present in a third-floor waiting section to visit his brother, who was receiving care following a traffic accident. While in the area, a hospital nurse allegedly poured acid over him, inflicting extensive burn injuries.
Ramanathan received initial emergency medical care at Manipal Hospital before being transferred to St. John’s Medical College and Hospital for specialized intervention. Over the course of his recovery, he underwent nearly 12 surgical procedures.
Legal History and Appeals
Ramanathan initially sought approximately Rs 64 lakh in damages covering medical costs, disability, reduced earning capability, physical pain, and disfigurement. On August 7, 2012, a district consumer forum awarded him Rs 1.5 lakh alongside 9 percent annual interest.
Upon appeal, the Karnataka State Commission issued a directive on June 23, 2017, increasing the compensation to Rs 13,19,577 with 8 percent interest and Rs 10,000 in litigation expenses. That decision made Manipal Hospital and PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Ltd jointly and severally liable. Dissatisfied with the 50 percent disability calculation, Ramanathan approached the NCDRC for a higher sum.
Insurer Liability and Pending Petitions
Manipal Hospital had previously covered about Rs 1.5 lakh toward Ramanathan’s medical treatment on humanitarian grounds, while group insurance policies held through his employer covered additional liabilities.
The national commission clarified that its ruling does not prejudice a separate revision petition filed by PNB MetLife in 2018 against the 2017 state order. The insurer was not represented during the commission’s hearing on June 24, 2026, and its final financial obligations will remain subject to the outcome of its own pending legal challenge and policy terms.
