The Madras High Court on Friday directed all motor accident claims tribunals in the State to stop accepting physical disability certificates that are not in a format prescribed by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on January 4, 2018.
Justice R. Mahadevan held that issuance of disability certificates by medical boards without meeting out the statutory requirements would result in irregularities and inconsistencies. Therefore, a proper and uniform method should be adopted.
He directed the High Court Registry to circulate a copy of his order to all district and subordinate courts dealing with motor accident claims so that they could scrupulously follow it before awarding compensation depending upon the percentage of disability suffered by victims.
The judge made it clear that his verdict should also be forwarded to the government authorities concerned so that it could be circulated to district medical boards.
“The courts shall, henceforth, accept only statutory certificates and not mere statements of disability,” he added. The directions were issued while disposing of a batch of motor accident appeals.
During the course of hearing, the insurance companies complained to the court about the absence of a uniform format for issuance of disability certificates and claimed that such a situation led to irregularities.
