Man wins legal battle after being denied medical claim for 4 years

BENGALURU: In Bengaluru a young electrician who had met with an accident at his worksite, suffered his arm being amputated, and was declined the mediclaim of Rs 1 lakh by the United India Insurance Company Ltd. The Reason for the declining of the  claim was because, the Victoria where he underwent treatment, is a government facility and he did not have to incur any cost.

The insurance firm had further claimed that the victim would have paid just Rs 1,000 as the service fee as it is mentioned on the website of the hospital.

In the year 2012, Reddy who was 30 years old, from Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh. Reddy who was employed by a firm in Nelamangala taluk, where he was assigned the task of fixing a power line in the area.

On that fateful day, Reddy had climbed the electric pole around 2.30 PM after he was assured by the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) staff that power to the line had been turned off. But within seconds, Reddy suffered a massive shock from the same line.

Reddy, who had suffered burns on his hands and legs, was rushed to the Sapthagiri Hospital where he was administered first aid. As his condition remained to be critical, he was shifted to the Victoria Hospital on the same day. Due to severe burn injuries, the doctors had to amputate Reddy’s left hand from the forearm. He was admitted in the hospital for nearly a month, with his family bearing medical and food expenses. Meanwhile, the police had registered an FIR and began probe.

The electrician’s family members submitted a money claim of Rs 1 lakh with necessary documents under Reddy’s contingency policy with United India Insurance.

However, the United India Insurance had declined his claim, by stating that no request was received. The affected family then contacted officials of the Accident Relief Care India Pvt Ltd who had not helped them, by saying that they were just an agent.

On June 26, 2014, Reddy approached the Bangalore Urban 2nd Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum in Shanti Nagar and lodged a complaint against United India Insurance Company and Accident Relief Care.

After a protracted legal battle that had lasted for more than four years, Thimma Reddy, the victim, got his due. A city consumer court had slammed the insurance firm, by ordering it to pay Reddy the claim amount, apart from his court expenses.