E-Paper
Kin of Patiala woman killed in accident awarded ₹14.5L compensation
The owner/driver and insurer of the motorcycle that caused the accident have to jointly pay the compensation to the Patiala woman’s husband and two children
The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) has awarded ₹14.54 lakh to a Patiala-based family, which lost one of its members in a road mishap in 2018.
Amrik Singh, 52, and his two children from Nilpur village had filed a claim petition against Balvinder Singh of Ambala and United India Insurance Company Limited, Chandigarh.
He said his wife Jaspal Kaur had died after falling from the bike driven by Balvinder Singh.
It was mentioned in the petition that on February 26, 2018, Jaspal was going from Anandpur Jalbera village in Ambala to Rajpura. She was riding pillion on Balvinder’s bike, which was being driven in a rash and negligent manner. They were followed by Jaspal’s husband Amrik in a car.
Balvinder lost control of the bike, leading to an accident. Jaspal sustained head injuries and was referred to PGIMER in Chandigarh, where she succumbed on March 17, 2018.
Balvinder did not appear before the tribunal and was proceeded as ex parte. Meanwhile, the insurance company submitted that Balvinder was neither the driver of the alleged motorcycle nor had any valid licence and registration certificate besides other documents as required under the Motor Vehicles Act.
After hearing the arguments, the tribunal observed, “It has been proved that Jaspal Kaur had died in an accident due to rash and negligent driving of above said motorcycle by Balvinder Singh.”
Thus the owner/driver and insurer of offending motorcycle are jointly and severally liable to pay the compensation amount of ₹14.54 lakh, it said. Jaspal’s husband Amrik will be entitled to get 50% share out of the total amount of compensation while her two children will be entitled to remaining share in equal amounts, the tribunal said.
They will also be entitled to get interest calculated at 8% per annum on the said amount from the date of filing of petition till payment thereof.
