SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2021 Supreme(Mad) 1371

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
ABDUL QUDDHOSE, J.
Kannan - Appellant
Versus
Subramani & Others - Respondents
C.M.A. No. 1667 of 2016
Decided On : 02-08-2021

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant :S. Sankar, Advocate.
For the Respondents:D. Bhaskaran, S. Arunkumar, Advocates.

Headnote:

Motor Vehicles Act - Section 173 - Motor Accident Claims - Quantum of compensation - Appellant/claimant unsatisfied with quantum of compensation by Tribunal under impugned award has preferred appeal seeking for enhancement - Appellant/claimant sustained multiple grievous injuries all over his body including severe fracture on his head and left rib as a result of an accident caused by two vehicles namely one Max Cap Van bearing registration - Second respondent and another lorry bearing registration No insured with fourth respondent Insurance Company - Held, Nature of injuries sustained by him, Court is of the considered view that at least for a period of three months, Appellant/claimant would have been unable to do his regular avocation as a lorry owner cum mechanic - Tribunal has erroneously determined the notional monthly income of the Appellant/claimant at Rs.6,500/-, though the appellant/claimant was a lorry owner cum mechanic and the accident took place in the year 2013 - Second and fourth respondents/Insurance companies are directed to deposit the enhanced award amount in equal proportions, together with interest from the date of claim till the date of realisation and costs, after deducting the amount already deposited if any to the credit of MCOP.No.28 of 2014 within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of court Judgment - Court has to be paid by both the insurance companies in equal proportions to the Appellant/claimant Appeal is partly Allowed

JUDGMENT :

(Prayer: Civil Miscellaneous Appeal filed under Section 173 of Motor Vehicles Act against the Judgment and Decree passed in MCOP.No.28 of 2014 dated 09.02.2016 on the file of MACT/Additional District Court at Namakkal.)

(This case is heard through Video Conferencing)

1. This civil miscellaneous appeal has been filed by the claimant seeking enhancement of compensation under the impugned award dated 09.02.2016 passed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (Additional District Judge, Namakkal) in MCOP.No.28 of 2004.

2. The Appellant/claimant unsatisfied with the quantum of compensation by the Tribunal under the impugned award has preferred this appeal seeking for enhancement.

3. The details of the compensation awarded by the Tribunal under the impugned award are as follows :

Heads

Award Amount (Rs.)

Disability

40,000/-

Medical bills

3,35,055/-

Loss of amenities

10,000/-

Pain and suffering

10,000/-

Extra nourishment

5,000/-

Attender charges

5,000/-

Total

4,05,055/-

Rounded off to

4,05,100/-

4. The Appellant/claimant sustained multiple grievous injuries all over his body including severe fracture on his head and left rib on 20.07.2013 as a result of an accident caused by two vehicles namely one Max Cap Van bearing registration No.TN78 6878 insured with the second respondent and another lorry bearing registration No.TN69 AC 5379 insured with the fourth respondent Insurance Company.

5. The Tribunal under the impugned award after assessing the compensation held that both the vehicles are equally liable for the cause of the accident which resulted in the Appellant/claimant sustaining injuries and fixed the contributory negligence in the ratio of 50:50.

6. Before the Tribunal, the Appellant/claimant have filed 16 documents which were marked as Ex.A1 to Ex.A16 and two witnesses were examined on his side namely, the Appellant/claimant himself as PW1 and the Doctor who examined him as PW2. On the side of the respondents neither any document was filed nor any witness examined before the Tribunal.

7. The Doctor assessed the disability of the Appellant/claimant at 20% which has been accepted by the Tribunal. Accordingly, 20% was assessed by the Tribunal as the disability suffered by the Appellant/claimant. The Tribunal has assessed the disability compensation at Rs.40,000/- calculated at Rs.2,000/- per percentage of disability which in the considered view of this Court is low. If the year of the accident was considered, the Tribunal ought to have assessed the disability compensation at a higher sum. It is settled practice for an accident of the year 2013, Courts generally fix the disability compensation at Rs.3,000/- per percentage of disability Accordingly, this Court enhances the disability compensation to Rs.60,000/- calculated at Rs.3,000/- per percentage of disability from Rs.40,000/- calculated at Rs.2,000/- per percentage of disability fixed by the Tribunal.

8. With regard to the compensation fixed towards medical expenses at Rs.3,35,055/- is concerned, the same is confirmed by this Court as the same has been assessed only in accordance with the medical bills produced by the Appellant/claimant before the Tribunal. However, the Tribunal has awarded a lesser compensation towards loss of amenities at Rs.10,000/-, towards pain and suffering at Rs.10,000/- and towards attender charges at Rs.5,000/- which has to be necessarily enhanced considering the nature of injuries sustained by the Appellant/claimant to Rs.20,000/-, Rs.20,000/- and Rs.10,000/- respectively. However, the compensation awarded by the Tribunal towards extra nourishment at Rs.5,000/- is a just compensation and the same is confirmed by this Court.

9. The Tribunal has erroneously failed to award any compensation towards conveyance which the Appellant/claimant is legally entitled to. Considering the nature of injuries sus

Click Here to Read the rest of this document
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top