Thane MACT awards Rs 10.25 lakh compensation to woman injured in bus accident

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The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Maharashtra's Thane district has awarded a compensation of Rs 10.25 lakh to a 45-year-old woman who sustained grievous injuries in a bus accident in 2018, reported news agency PTI.

Thane MACT member S N Shah held the bus owner, Ameya Travels, and its insurer, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd., liable to pay the compensation, reported PTI.

A copy of the order, dated March 18, was made available on Saturday.

Counsel for the claimant, advocate Baldev B Rajput, informed the Thane MACT that the accident occurred when the bus, driven negligently, crashed into the gate of a building on Pedder Road in Mumbai on the night of January 1, 2018.

The claimant, Amee Dharmendra Bhuta, who was returning from a New Year celebration with friends, suffered multiple fractures and other severe injuries, reported PTI.

The Thane MACT found that the accident was due to the bus driver's negligence. The police had also registered a criminal case against the driver.

Advocate Rajput also submitted that the petitioner was 45 years old at the time of the accident and was self-employed. She was earning Rs 25,000 per month and claimed compensation of Rs 26.95 lakh under various heads from the two opponents, reported PTI.

The Thane MACT noted that the woman had suffered 35 per cent permanent partial disability following the accident.

The tribunal awarded compensation under various heads, including future loss of income, income towards future prospects, medical expenses, special diet and conveyance, pain and suffering, and loss of amenities and enjoyment of life.

The insurance company was directed to deposit the compensation amount, along with 8 per cent annual interest from the date the petition was filed, within one month, reported PTI.

The tribunal also granted the insurance company the right to recover the awarded amount from the bus owner. It directed that a portion of the awarded amount be paid to the injured party and the rest be put into a fixed deposit.

(With inputs from PTI)