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The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Maharashtra's Thane district has awarded â¹10.8 lakh in compensation to a 29-year-old man who sustained serious injuries in a road accident that occurred in 2018.
According to PTI, MACT Chairman S.B. Agrawal directed that the compensation be jointly and severally paid by the owner of the tempo involved in the accident and the insurance company. The tribunal further ordered that the compensation amount, along with interest at the rate of 7.5% per annum, be paid from the date of filing the petition until the full amount is realised.
A copy of the tribunal's decision, dated January 20, was made available on Friday. The tempo owner did not appear during the hearings, resulting in the matter being decided ex parte against him. As per the tribunal's directions, the insurance company must pay the compensation initially and later recover the amount from the tempo owner.
Advocate P.M. Tillu, representing the claimant, informed the tribunal that the accident occurred on September 1, 2018, when the petitioner, a salesperson employed at a mall in Thane city, was riding his motorcycle to work. While crossing the Kasheli bridge, a speeding tempo collided with his vehicle, causing severe injuries that required hospitalisation.
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PTI reports that the insurance company, represented by Advocate P.B. Nair, contested the claim, raising several points to challenge the compensation amount. However, the tribunal concluded that the petitioner was entitled to the compensation sought.
In its order, the tribunal noted that while the claimant was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, this was not a contributory factor to the collision itself. It stated that although the lack of a helmet might have aggravated the injuries, it did not constitute contributory negligence on the part of the petitioner.
The compensation amount includes â¹5.35 lakh towards hospital expenses, â¹3 lakh for pain, suffering, and loss of amenities, â¹1 lakh each for the removal of an implant and income lost during hospitalisation and recovery, and â¹45,000 for other miscellaneous costs, PTI reports.
The tribunal's decision highlights the legal accountability of vehicle owners and their insurers in ensuring fair compensation for accident victims.
