MV Act | House Wife's Contribution Invaluable, Her Service Can't Be Taken As Minimum Tier Earning Of Unskilled Worker: Punjab & Haryana HC

The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that housewives' income for motor accident compensation should be calculated at unskilled laborer wages unless proven otherwise. Justice Sandeep Moudgil rejected insurance companies' arguments for nominal compensation, noting homemakers' economic contributions. The case involved a 45-year-old homemaker's death in a road accident. The judgment pegs compensation at ₹8,000-10,000 monthly, based on state unskilled worker minimum wages. This progressive ruling recognizes household labor's economic value in accident claims. It prevents gender-based undervaluation of homemakers' contributions in tort cases. The decision may lead to higher compensation awards for homemakers' fatalities and injuries, aligning with modern understandings of unpaid domestic work's worth.