SC reserves judgment in Infosys engineer's paralysis case

New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI) The Supreme Court today reserved its verdict on a petition filed by Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, challenging the judgment of the National Consumer Commission(NCC) holding the hospital guilty of negligence due to which an Infosys engineer suffered paralysis of the lower part of his body and legs.

The victim, Prasanth S Dhananka, had filed a petition in NCC demanding damages of Rs 5 crores.

NCC, however, awarded only Rs 14 lakhs as damages and in addition Rs 1.5 lakhs and Rs 2500 towards loss of litigation to his father who is a BHEL employee.

The victim was admitted in the hospital in September, 1990, complaining of intertimment fever.

Test showed lesion in left chest cavity.

Excion Biopsy (thoracodomy) was conducted to find out the nature of the tumour.

The report suggested that ribs are to be excised as according to doctors, the tumour could later become malignant, cancerous.

A bench comprising Justices B N Agrawal, H S Bedi and G S Singhvi reserved the judgement after hearing arguments of both the parties.

The hospital hotly contested the findings of the NCC while the victim prayed for announcement of compensation.According to the victim, his career has been ruined and he has been permanently incapacitated for life due to the gross negligence of the doctors.

In April this year, the Supreme Court had adjourned the hearing with the direction to the parties to explore the possibility of out-of-court settlement.

UNI SC SY RP KP1738