The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Mohali, has awarded ₹14.8 lakh compensation to a 27-year-old man from Lalru, who suffered permanent disability after a car hit his motorcycle near Sultanpur Chowk in 2018.
Presiding officer Rajesh Ahluwalia passed the order, directing the driver and insurer to jointly pay the compensation with 6% annual interest from the date of filing of the claim petition till realisation. The insurance company will pay the amount first and can recover it from the driver later.
Ram Kumar, a resident of Lalru, had filed the claim through his wife, Radha Rani, after sustaining serious head and limb injuries in the accident on March 15, 2018. According to the petition, Ram Kumar and his friend Jaswinder Singh were travelling on a motorcycle towards Lalru Mandi when a Tata Bolt car, allegedly being driven at high speed by Sukhdeep Singh, hit their motorcycle from behind at Sultanpur Chowk.
Both men fell on the road and suffered injuries. The driver fled the spot, while Jaswinder noted down the car’s registration number. Police registered a case under Sections 279, 337, 338 and 427 of the IPC on Jaswinder’s statement.
Ram Kumar remained admitted at Narain Hospital, Ambala City, from March 16 to April 12, 2018, and was admitted again from May 11 to May 14. He suffered serious brain injuries and remained in a coma during treatment.
{{/usCountry}}Ram Kumar remained admitted at Narain Hospital, Ambala City, from March 16 to April 12, 2018, and was admitted again from May 11 to May 14. He suffered serious brain injuries and remained in a coma during treatment.
{{/usCountry}}The tribunal relied on the testimony of Jaswinder, who was an eyewitness and injured in the same accident, as well as the FIR and medical records. It held that the accident occurred due to Sukhdeep’s rash and negligent driving.
A medical board assessed Ram Kumar’s permanent disability at 60%, including mental disability caused by traumatic brain injury. The tribunal assessed his monthly income at ₹10,000 as a labourer after he failed to produce evidence supporting his claimed income of ₹15,000 as an automobile mechanic.
The tribunal awarded ₹12.24 lakh for loss of income, ₹2.46 lakh towards medical expenses and ₹10,000 for pain and suffering, taking the total compensation to ₹14,80,790. The insurance company argued that the driver did not hold a valid licence. The tribunal, however, directed it to pay the victim first, giving it the right to recover the amount from the driver.