TOI reporter in Washington: On a cold night in January 2023, 23-year-old Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula was killed in a traffic accident in Seattle, and even a $29 million bonus to her family could not bring her back to life. But this week, while reaching a record settlement, the U.S. justice system defended the dignity and worth of a foreign student with gracious gestures and compassionate language, implicitly condemning the dehumanizing treatment of immigrants in an increasingly fanatical “MAGA” country where immigrants are viewed as “economic threats” and “cultural outsiders.”Kandula, the only daughter of a police officer and a school teacher in Andhra Pradesh, was a master’s student at Northeastern University when she was crossing the street in Seattle when she was hit by a police car traveling 74 mph in a 25 mph zone. Officer Kevin Dave responded to a “first priority” overdose call by simply “blaring” his siren at the intersection, rather than sounding it continuously. The impact threw her nearly 100 feet, and she died a short time later. However, when body camera footage emerged of police union leader Officer Daniel Odley mocking the deaths over the phone, the tragedy went from a “negligent accident” to a global scandal. He suggested Jaahnavi had “limited value” and the city should “write a check for $11,000.” The callous remark was seen as a mockery of an “unproductive” foreign student.The Janavi family’s attorneys, Susan Mindenbergs and Gabe Galanda, presented a case that went beyond the accident, focused on the immense loss suffered by Janavi’s parents in India, and described Janavi as a precious daughter with a future priceless value, rather than a “foreign student.” They also asked for an additional $11,000 on top of the settlement as a non-negotiable requirement for her mother, who raised her primarily as a single parent, to challenge claims that her life was worth so little.The city of Seattle ultimately agreed to pay a $29,011,000 settlement, the second largest single-victim police negligence award in U.S. history, primarily to avoid a “nuclear verdict.” If the case goes to a jury, Odler’s video could lead to larger punitive damages to punish the city. Seattle, considered a socialist haven by MAGA hardliners, agreed to pay $29 million, acknowledging that the trial would be a reputational disaster. About $20 million in prize money will be paid through insurance, with $9 million coming from city funds. “This settlement is about more than just money,” her attorney said after the verdict. “This is a city acknowledging that life cannot be quantified in cruel jokes.” The city also acknowledged that “Janawi Kandula’s life mattered” and hoped the settlement “brings some sense of relief to the Kandula family.”Under standard U.S. contingency arrangements, attorneys in complex civil rights cases can receive 33% to 40% of the settlement. While this may seem astronomical, U.S. emergency laws cover the upfront costs of attorneys, risking hundreds of thousands of dollars of their own funds for expert witnesses, accident reconstructions, investigations, and international travel. If they lose, they get nothing. After fees and expenses, Janavi’s family is expected to receive about $18.5 million (roughly Rs. 155 crore). 35% of the fee is an “access fee” to the justice system, which in this case ultimately worked.Contrast the Janavi settlement with road deaths in India, where more than 150,000 people die every year — a slow-moving public health disaster that some activists call a “silent genocide.” Compensation for road traffic accidents in India typically ranges from 1 million to 5 million rupees ($12,000 to $60,000), even for high-income professionals. In the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), justice is often delayed for decades, criminal liability is rare and compensation is rarely or never paid. For Janavi’s mother, Vijaya Lakshmi, the windfall was unimportant. Her husband, Srikanth Kandula, died two days before the settlement was announced, and she was able to go on to establish the Jaahnavi Kandula Memorial Foundation, which aims to support the safety of international students, provide scholarships for Indian STEM students, and fund higher education for single-parent families.The settlement comes at a fraught time for immigrant and Indian students in the United States amid rising nationalist rhetoric and heightened cultural tensions. However, this case demonstrates that, at their best, American civil courts can provide accountability and dignity. Northeastern University also posthumously awarded Janavi a master’s degree in information systems and established a memorial space near the crash site.
