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2011 Supreme(J&K) 627

HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AT JAMMU
Hasnain Massodi, J.
Deeksha Tickoo -Appellant
Versus
National Insurance Co. Ltd. & Ors. -Resopndent
CIMA No. 139-2006
Decided On : 30-07-2011

Advocates Appeared:
P.N. Raina , C.S. Gupta.

The main legal point established in the judgment is the need to consider future prospects, perks, and benefits in assessing just compensation under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

Headnote:

Motor Vehicles Act - Compensation - Section 166 - Summary of Acts and Sections: The court discussed the compensation under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the principles of assessing just compensation. The court also referred to the Sarla Verma v. Transport Corporation case regarding the application of a multiplier for calculating loss of income.

Fact of the Case:

Ms. Deeksha Tickoo and her parents met with an accident due to rash driving, resulting in the death of her parents and serious injuries to her. Multiple claim petitions were filed seeking compensation under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Tribunal awarded compensation, but the parties were aggrieved and filed appeals.

Finding of the Court:

The court analyzed the quantum of compensation awarded by the Tribunal in each claim petition and made modifications based on the evidence and principles of just compensation. The court also addressed the issues raised by the appellants and dismissed the appeal by the Insurance Company.

Issues: The issues revolved around the adequacy of compensation awarded, consideration of future prospects, and inclusion of additional factors such as perks and benefits in the assessment of compensation.

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized the need to consider future prospects, perks, and benefits in assessing compensation under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The court also highlighted the application of a multiplier for calculating loss of income based on the Sarla Verma case.

Final Decision: The court modified the compensation amounts in favor of the appellants based on the evidence and legal principles. The appeal by the Insurance Company was dismissed.

1. Ms. Deeksha Tickoo, on 2nd July, 1995 and her parents, Mr. Ashok Tickoo and Dr. Asha Tickoo while travelling, in a bus bearing Registration No. RJ-14/P-4504, from Jaipur to Udaipur, met with an accident at a place between Bhilwara and Chitoregarh resulting in death to Mr. Ashok Tickoo and Dr. Asha Tickoo and serious injuries to Ms. Deeksha Tickoo. The accident was result of rash and negligence driving by the driver of the passenger vehicle. Three claim petitions under Section 166, Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 were filed on 06.12.2000 in Motor Accident Claims Tribunal-two by Ms. Deeksha Tickoo through her grand mother, Umawati Tickoo and third jointly by Smt. Umawati Tickoo and Ms. Deeksha Tickoo, registered as 468 (Claims), 469 (Claims) and 470 (Claims). In claim petition bearing No.468/claims, the petitioner sought compensation of Rs.48,00,000/- on account of death of her mother, Dr. Asha Tickoo. In claim petition No.469/Claims, the petitioner prayed for an amount of Rs. 4,50,000/- on account of medical treatment, expenditure incurred on her transportation to different hospitals and Plastic Surgery and on other such counts. In claim petition No.470/claims, Smt. Umawati Tickoo and Ms.Deeksha Tickoo claimed compensation of Rs. 32,00,000/- on account of death of Sh. Ashok Tickoo-son of Smt. Umawati Tickoo and father of Ms. Deeksha Tickoo. The three petitions set out all the details as regards academic qualification of the deceased, the salary drawn, promotional avenues available and future prospects of the deceased. The claim petitions were resisted by the Insurance company namely, National Insurance Company on the grounds set out in objections filed by the Company. The Tribunal took up all the three claims together and passed a common award on 17.02.2006. The Tribunal awarded an amount of Rs.7.71/- lac in claim petition No.468 and an amount of Rs.1,76, 750/- in claim petition No.469. The amount of compensation awarded in claim petition No. 470 is Rs. l5,31,800/-in favour of Smt. Umawati Tickoo and Ms. Deeksha Tickoo. The compensation amount in all the three petitions is to carry interest @ 7.5% from the date of filing of claim petitions till its final realisation. The claimants as well as the Insurance company are aggrieved of the award.

2. Smt. Umawati Tickoo and Ms. Deeksha Tickoo are not satisfied with the amount of compensation awarded by the Tribunal on account of death of Mr. Ashok Tickoo and have filed Civil Ist Miscellaneous appeal registered as CIMA No.138/2006. The appellant's case is that the Tribunal erroneously held the total income of the deceased as Rs.9818/- per month ignoring the perks and other benefits received by the deceased from his employer. The Tribunal is also said to have not taken into account the future prospects of the deceased. It is insisted that the emoluments of the deceased would have gone upto Rs.25,622/- in June 2005. The Tribunal, it is pleaded, failed to consider inclusion of loss of her parental love, expenditure incurred on transportation of dead bodies, loss on account of amenities of life and the pension the deceased would get on retirement, in the amount assessed as compensation payable to the appellants.

Ms. Deeksha Tickoo, not satisfied with the compensation assessed by the Tribunal on account of serious injuries and medical treatment undergone by her has also come up in appeal. The appeal is registered as CIMA No.139/2006. The appellant pleads that the Tribunal while assessing the compensation did not appreciate that the appellant suffered extensive injuries and would have been dead, had she not received the medical treatment. The Tribunal is also said to have ignored to take into account the expenditure likely to be incurred on account of medical treatment in the future. It is pleaded that the Tribunal having regard to the nature of injuries sustained by the appellant and the medical treatment she received at different places ought to have assessed Rs.4.5/- lac as compensation on acco


















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