Rwanda Case Law

IMANZA Z'UBWISHINGIZI ZACIWE N'URUKIKO RW'IKIRENGA (Insurance digest Supreme Court 2025)

Court

Supreme Court

Permanent disability from a traffic accident entitles the victim to economic loss and career prejudice compensation regardless of whether employment or income was lost, provided the disability is medically certified. Career prejudice compensation is not limited to those who lost jobs but extends to anyone whose professional prospects are diminished by the injury. Dependency claims by adults require proof of actual support and need. For self-employed or informal workers, damages are calculated on net income or sector benchmarks. Compulsory motor insurance does not cover workplace accidents, wh…

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• Personal injury compensation
• Permanent disability
• Economic loss
• Career prejudice
• Funeral expenses
• Dependency claims

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SANLAM AG Plc v. TUYISHIME N’UNDI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RS/INJUST/RC 00013/2023/CA

The Court of Appeal held that the respondents provided sufficient evidence of actual dependency on the deceased, including attestations from local authorities and the cooperative where the deceased worked, corroborated by community testimony. The court found that SANLAM AG Plc failed to rebut this evidence or show that the respondents had independent means of support. The court further held that the prior courts did not err in awarding compensation, as the legal and evidentiary standards were met. The appeal was dismissed as baseless, and SANLAM AG Plc was ordered to pay costs and attorney fe…

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• Compensation for fatal accidents
• Dependency claims
• Burden of proof for dependency
• Procedural fairness in appeals

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SANLAM AG Plc v. TUYISHIME N’UNDI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RS/INJUST/RC 00013/2023/CA

The Court of Appeal held that the respondents provided sufficient evidence of dependency through documents from local authorities and the deceased's cooperative, corroborated by community testimony. The court found that the High Court did not err in awarding compensation, as the evidence met the legal threshold for proving dependency. The appellant failed to show that the respondents had independent means of support or that the High Court misapplied the law. Therefore, the appeal was dismissed and costs awarded to the respondents.

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• Compensation for fatal accidents
• Dependency claims
• Burden of proof for dependency
• Appeal on grounds of miscarriage of justice

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RADIANT v NYIRANDIKUBWIMANA NABANDI

Court

High Court

Case number

RCA 00066/2022/HC/RSZ (NDU

The High Court held that adult family members must prove actual dependency to receive pecuniary damages after a fatal road accident; mere cohabitation was not enough.

• Motor vehicle accident compensation
• Pecuniary damages
• Dependency claims
• Burden of proof
• Funeral expenses
• Cultural damages

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