JUDGMENT :

C.S. SUDHA, J.

This appeal under Section 173 of the MOTOR VEHICLES ACT , 1988 (the Act) has been filed by the claimants in O.P.(MV) No.148/2013 on the file of the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, Neyyattinkara, (the Tribunal), aggrieved by the amount of compensation granted by Award dated 10.12.2018. The sole respondent herein is the 1^st respondent/owner in the petition. In this appeal, the parties and the documents will be referred to as described in the original petition.

2. According to the claimants/petitioners, on 20.10.2012, at about 7.20 p.m, the deceased along with a pillion rider was riding a motorcycle along the Neyyattinkara - Kattakkada public road. When they reached near CSI Church, Thozhukkal, K.S.R.T.C. bus bearing Reg.No.KL-15-5464 driven by the second respondent in a rash and negligent manner knocked him down, as a result of which he sustained grievous injuries to which he succumbed. The claimants sought Rs. 15,00,000/-(Rupees Fifteen Lakhs) as compensation.

3. Before the Tribunal, the 2^nd respondent/driver remained ex parte.

4. The 1^st respondent K.S.R.T.C/owner of the bus filed written statement denying the claim and contending that the incident was due t