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1962 Supreme(Pat) 72

PATNA HIGH COURT
H.Mahapatra and Tarkeshwar Nath JJ.
Jogindra Kuer
Versus
Jagdish Singh
Appeal from Original Decree No. 229 of 1956 ;
Decided On : JULY 25, 1962

The cause of action for personal injuries does not survive to the legal representatives of the plaintiff after his death, and the maxim "actio personalis moritur cum persona" applies in such cases.

Headnote:

MOTOR VEHICLES ACT - SECTION 96 - INSURANCE POLICY - LIABILITY OF INSURER - INTERPRETATION OF POLICY TERMS - EFFECT OF DEATH OF PLAINTIFF DURING PENDENCY OF APPEAL - SURVIVAL OF CAUSE OF ACTION - APPLICATION OF MAXIM "ACTIO PERSONALIS MORITUR CUM PERSONA".

Fact of the Case:

Plaintiff, the owner of a motor car, filed a suit for recovery of damages sustained due to a collision with a truck owned by defendants 1 and 2 and driven by defendant 3. Defendant 4 was the insurer of the truck under a Commercial Vehicle Comprehensive Policy. The plaintiff claimed compensation for injuries sustained by him and his family, damage to the car, and loss of business. The trial court granted a decree for a sum of Rs. 3500 against defendants 1 to 3 only, holding that defendant 4 was not liable. The plaintiff appealed, seeking a decree for Rs. 12,500 against defendant 4 as well. During the pendency of the appeal, the plaintiff died, and his heirs were substituted in his place.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the plaintiff was entitled to compensation of Rs. 3500 for injuries sustained, Rs. 1872 for expenses incurred for treatment, and Rs. 2500 for repairs to his motor car. The court found that the insurance company (defendant 4) was liable for the damages as the policy was comprehensive and the insurer was liable for the claim of the third party. The court also held that the plaintiff's heirs could not enforce their claim for a higher sum against any of the defendants or for any item other than the cost of repairs of the motor car against defendant 4, as the cause of action did not survive to the legal representatives of the plaintiff.

Issues: 1. Whether the insurance company (defendant 4) was liable for the damages caused by the truck driven by defendant 3. 2. Whether the plaintiff's heirs could prosecute the appeal and enforce the claim for a higher sum against the defendants after the plaintiff's death.

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court interpreted the terms of the insurance policy and held that the insurance company was liable for the damages caused by the truck driven by defendant 3. The court found that there was no breach of the terms of the policy in respect of the driver's license, intoxication, or overloading of the truck. 2. The court applied the maxim "actio personalis moritur cum persona" and held that the cause of action for personal injuries did not survive to the legal representatives of the plaintiff after his death. The court relied on various precedents and provisions of the Probate and Administration Act and the Indian Succession Act to support its decision.

Final Decision: The court allowed the appeal in part and modified the judgment and decree of the trial court. The suit was decreed to the extent of Rs. 3000 against defendants 1 to 3 only and Rs. 2500 against all the defendants, including defendant 4. The appellants were entitled to proportionate costs of the trial court and ex parte costs against defendant 3 in respect of the claim of Rs. 3000, and further costs in respect of the claim of Rs. 2500 against all the defendants. Parties were to bear their own costs of the appeal.

Judgment

Tarkeshwar Nath, J.

1. Sardar Wazir Singh (Plaintiff) instituted a suit for recovery of Rs 12,500.00 on account of loss and damages sustained by him in the following circumstances:-

2. The plaintiff was the owner of a motor car Hindustan 14, Registration No. BRB 456 Defendants 1 and 2 were the owners of a public carrier motor truck BRA 5610 and defendant No. 3 was the driver of that truck being an employee of the first two defendants Defendant No 4 (The Standard General Assurance Company Limited) was the insurer of the truck under Commercial Vehicle Comprehensive Policy No. CV 9650/53 On the 9th January, 1954, the plaintiff was going in his car from Gaya to Patna via Nawada and Bihar with his wife, sons and daughters and he was driving the car himself very cautiously and slowly, adhering to the traffic rules. At about 3-30 p. m. the plaintiff reached near village Mahanandpur between mile post No. 52/II and 52/III. He saw defendant No. 3 driving motor truck BRA 5610 and coming from opposite direction at a very high speed. Defendant No. 3 was driving the truck on the wrong side of the road and in spite of plaintiffs blowing his horn, the former did not take necessary precautions, with the result that there was a collision of the truck with the plaintiffs car. The plaintiff was thrown out of the car and fell down near a bridge sustaining severe Injuries. Defendant No. 3 was extremely careless and negligent while driving that truck and he was mainly responsible for the rash driving the body, chassis and other parts of the plaintiffs car were extensively damaged and the plaintiff having received grievous hurt became unconscious. He was disabled from carrying on his normal duties for a period of about five months and had to be confined to bed in hospital for a long time. The plaintiffs wife and children sustained injuries and all of them were in great agony. The oar itself became unfit for use and was lying at his house m Gaya. The plaintiff and other members of the family were taken to the hospital at Biharshariff at about 5 p. m. and later on they were removed to the Medical College Hospital at Patna the following morning. There was Xray examination and the major portions of the plaintiffs body were plaster ed. The plaintiff was confined to bed for five months and he could not move his right leg freely even now. The car was examined by the Motor Vehicles Inspector, Patna, on the 14th January, 1954, and he found it completely smashed and beavily damaged. Another examination was by the engineer on the 29th January, 1954 who estimated the cost of repairs at Rs. 5000/-. The plain-tiff incurred expenses in treatment to the tune of Rs. 4000/-, there was loss in business due to non-supervision to the extent of Rs. 10,000/-, and a sum of Rs. 10,000.00 was needed as compensation for the injuries sustained by him The plaintiff thus suffered damages to the extent of Rs. 29,000/-, including the cost of repairs of the motor car but on account of his inability to pay the Court-fee he gave up his entire claim of Rs 10,000.00 in respect of the less in business due to non-supervision and a further sum of Rs. 6,500.00 out of Rs. 10,000.00 in respect of the claim for compensation regarding the injuries sustained by him He thus confined his claim only to Rs. 12,500.00 A in the present suit Defendants 1 and 2 being owners of the truck were liable to compensate the plaintiff and similarly defendant No 4 as well was liable in accordance with the terms of the Insurance Policy The plaintiff gave the details of the injuries sustained by him and ether members of his family in Schedule A of the plaint and damage to the motor car was indicated in Schedule B On these, allegations he instituted the suit on the 29th November 1954.

3. Defendants 1 and 2 alleged that they were not present at the time of the accident but they had learnt from defendant No 3 that the truck was moving in normal speed on the left side of the road and it was the plaintiff who dr
























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