IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
R. Subbiah, S. Kannammal, JJ.
A. Praveenkumar - Appellant
Versus
P. Janaki and ors. – Respondents
Civil Miscellaneous Appeal No. 2130 of 2018
Decided On : 15-06-2021
Motor Vehicle Act – Accident – Claim of Compensation - Rash and negligent - As per averments in claim petition filed before Tribunal at about hrs while the petitioner was proceeding in his motorcycle bearing registration number TN 31 AT on Main Road a Tractor bearing registration number TN-AR came in a rash and negligent manner in the opposite direction and dashed against the petitioner's vehicle - In accident petitioner sustained multiple fractures - Petitioner was a IIIrd year B.E. Student - He could not attend annual examination due to injuries sustained in accident - He therefore filed the claim petition in M.C.O.P against respondents claiming a sum of amount as compensation - Second respondent/Insurance Company filed a counter statement denying averments made by claimant in claim petition - Insurance Company also specifically denied educational qualification and other particulars furnished by the claimant - Held, In accident claimant sustained fracture in Shaft Femur right open segmental tibia and fibula fracture right, Radial styloid right and open wound right foot. P.W.2 doctor who examined the claimant issued disability certificate as 70% as partial and permanent disability. The Tribunal reduced the percentage of disability from 70% to 60% on the ground that P.W.2/Doctor is not the Doctor who treated the appellant - Respondent-Insurance Company has not let in any contra evidence to disprove the evidence of P.W.2/Doctor and /disability certificate - Considering the nature of injuries sustained by claimant we are of the view that 70% disability as given by the doctor can be taken as such - Accident is of the year an Tribunal has awarded a sum of per percentage of disability and same is proper - Appeal is partly allowed.
JUDGMENT :
S. KANNAMMAL, J.
This civil miscellaneous appeal has been filed by the appellant/claimant for enhancement of compensation awarded by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, (Special Sub Court No. II), Small Causes Court, Chennai, in M.C.O.P. No. 5870 of 2013 dated 02.04.2018.
2. As per the averments in the claim petition filed before the Tribunal, on 07.05.2013 at about 16.30 hrs while the petitioner was proceeding in his motorcycle bearing registration number TN 31 AT 8455 on the Manjakollai Main Road, Marudur, a Tractor bearing registration number TN-31 AR 3889 came in a rash and negligent manner in the opposite direction and dashed against the petitioner's vehicle. In the accident, the petitioner sustained multiple fractures. The petitioner was a IIIrd year B.E. Student. He could not attend the annual examination due to the injuries sustained in the accident. He therefore filed the claim petition in M.C.O.P No. 5870 of 2013 against the respondents claiming a sum of Rs. 40,00,000/- (Rs.40 Lakhs) as compensation.
3. Before the Tribunal, the first respondent/owner of the tractor remained ex-parte. The claim petition was contested only by the second respondent/Insurance Company.
4. The second respondent/Insurance Company filed a counter statement denying the averments made by the claimant in the claim petition. The Insurance Company also specifically denied the educational qualification and other particulars furnished by the claimant. It also objected to the amounts claimed by the claimant under various heads as exorbitant and prayed for dismissal of the claim petition.
5. Before the Tribunal, in order to prove the averments in the claim petition, the claimant examined himself as PW1, one Doctor K.J.Mathiazhagan was examined as P.W.2 and 24 documents were marked viz., Ex.P.1 to P.24. On behalf of the respondents in the claim petition, neither any witness was examined nor any document was marked.
6. On appreciation of the oral and documentary evidence produced on the side of the claimant, the tribunal arrived at a finding that the accident had occurred due to the rash and negligent driving of the driver of the tractor owned by the first respondent. By arriving at such a conclusion the tribunal awarded a sum of Rs.13,73,700/- as compensation for the injuries sustained by the claimant and directed the second respondent/insurance company to pay the said compensation amount.
7. As against the award passed by the Tribunal, the present appeal has been filed by the claimant for enhancement of compensation.
8. The learned counsel for the appellant/claimant submitted that the sum of Rs.13,73,700/- awarded by the Tribunal in total as compensation as against the total claim of Rs. 40,00,000/- (Rs.40 Lakhs) claimed by the claimant is an inadequate compensation. It is submitted that the Tribunal ought to have fixed the disability as 70% as assessed by the doctor who was examined as P.W.2. It is further submitted that the Tribunal ought to have fixed 100% as loss of earning power for the appellant and the Tribunal went wrong in fixing the monthly income as Rs.9,000/- per month. The learned counsel for the appellant would submit that the award passed by the Tribunal under the heads of Attending Charges, Transport, Extra Nourishment, Pain and Suffering and Loss of Amenities are very meager which needs the interference of this Court.
9. The learned counsel appearing for the 2nd respondent/Insurance Company submitted that the award of compensation granted under various heads to the appellant/claimant is perfectly in order and needs no interference.
10. We have heard the counsel for both sides and perused the materials placed on record. The Tribunal, on appreciation of the oral and documentary evidence, awarded compensation under various heads as under.
Sl. No.
Head under which the amount is awarded
Amount awarded by the Tribunal (in Rs.)
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.