‘Neuro Justice Trilogy’ proposes function-based approach to disability assessment in accident cases

In a step towards rethinking how courts assess disability and compensation in motor accident cases, the Neuro Justice Trilogy and the Neuro Justice Framework Handbook were released at the NIMHANS Convention Centre here on Thursday. Authored by functional neurosurgeon Sharan Srinivasan and neurorehabilitation expert Prathiba Sharan, the books argue for a shift from a symptom-based assessment of injury to a function-based understanding of disability- focusing on how neurological injury affects a person’s ability to live, work, and participate in society. Supreme Court judge Aravind Kumar, who released the books, said the work reflected a meaningful intersection of law, neuroscience, and ethics, and underlined the growing importance of interdisciplinary approaches in shaping future justice systems. Former Supreme Court judge R.V. Raveendran, who has delivered several landmark judgments in motor vehicle accident cases, said the trilogy provided judges with a clearer roadmap to deal with complex neurological disabilities that are often inadequately captured by conventional medical certificates. Relevance beyond courts Minister for Health Dinesh Gundu Rao said the framework had relevance beyond courts, particularly for public health and rehabilitation. He noted that integrating medical science with governance was essential to ensure fair outcomes for accident victims and their families. Deputy Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Rudrappa Lamani, who recently recovered from brain and spinal injuries he suffered in a serious road accident, spoke of the lack of awareness around neurorehabilitation services. He stressed the need for affordable, multidisciplinary rehabilitation centres in every district, noting that many patients and families remain unaware of facilities that could aid recovery. Speaking at the event, Dr. Srinivasan said the idea of ‘Neuro Justice’ emerged from years of treating trauma patients who survived injuries but struggled to secure fair compensation because the functional impact of brain injuries was poorly understood in legal settings. The neurorehabilitation expert, Dr. Sharan, highlighted the challenge of ‘invisible disabilities’ such as memory loss, behavioural changes, and impaired decision-making, which often go uncompensated despite severely affecting quality of life. A key feature of the launch was the introduction of the Neuro Justice Framework (NJF) version 1.0, a structured model to assess functional disability. The framework incorporates global disability classifications and Indian legal provisions to help courts better evaluate loss of function, rehabilitation potential, and fair compensation. Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh and several senior neurologists and rehabilitation experts attended the event. Experts from neuroscience and disability advocacy also shared perspectives, including Paralympian K.Y. Venkatesh, who spoke about the importance of restoring dignity and participation after injury. Published in public interest by the Swasthya Aarogya Foundation Trust, the trilogy seeks to address delays and inconsistencies in motor accident compensation cases. The authors noted that with nearly nine lakh such claims pending nationwide, a function-based approach could help courts deliver more timely and equitable justice. Published - December 25, 2025 06:31 pm IST

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