Brazilian court awards lifetime pension to disabled truck driver

A court in Mafra, Santa Catarina, has ordered a transport company and its driver to pay a lifetime pension and R$ 40,000 in damages to a truck driver permanently incapacitated by an accident on the BR-116 highway in Bahia.

The collision occurred in February 2023 in the municipality of Planalto. According to a Federal Highway Police report, the other truck invaded the opposite lane, causing the side collision. The victim suffered severe fractures to his arm and knee, requiring surgeries and resulting in permanent neurological impairment and loss of mobility. Medical expertise indicated a loss of 71% to 80% of his working capacity.

The ruling mandates a monthly pension equivalent to 71% of the national minimum wage, effective from the date of the accident. Additionally, the court awarded R$ 20,000 for moral damages and R$ 20,000 for aesthetic damages. The insurance company will also be held liable for obligations within the limits of its policy.