Disabled in truck-car crash, Chandigarh woman awarded ₹14-lakh relief after 5 years

Rupinder Kaur of Sector 15 sustained a spinal cord fracture resulting in the paralysis of both lower limbs besides other injuries in a 2016 car-truck collision

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), Chandigarh has awarded over ₹14 lakh compensation to a resident of Sector 15, who was left “permanently disabled” in a road accident that took place in 2016.

The tribunal said that the truck owner and driver were jointly liable to pay the compensation amount to the claimant. (Representational photo)

Rupinder Kaur, 41, had filed a case against Bal Krishan of Sangrur, who owned the truck that caused the accident, and its driver Makhan Singh. Kaur runs a paying guest facility and tuition classes.

On January 6, 2016, she was on her way in a car to Kesri Singh Pura village in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan to meet her maternal grandfather. She was in the rear seat of the car with other occupants. Due to traffic jam at Sunam city, the car was stopped on the side of the road when a speeding tanker hit rammed into it, leaving the claimant injured and permanently disabled.

Kaur sustained a spinal cord fracture resulting in the paralysis of both lower limbs besides other injuries. She spent more than ₹10 lakh on her treatment and is still unable to move.

As both the driver and truck owner did not respond, they were proceeded against as ex-parte.

The MACT partly allowed the claim petition and awarded compensation of ₹14,21,000 in favour of the woman. She shall also be entitled to interest on the amount of compensation at 7.5% per annum from the date of claim petition till realisation.

“The truck owner and driver are jointly and severally liable to pay the amount of compensation to the claimant,” the tribunal added.