JUDGMENT

B.N. Mahapatra, J.

1. This batch of appeals has been filed under Section 173 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (in short, 'the Act') challenging a common award dated 4.2.2006 passed in MAC Case Nos. 116/179 of 2002/1995, 4/171 of 1997/1995, 142/170 of 1997/1995, 157/177 of 2000/1995, 164/169 of 1997/1995, 29/174 of 1997/1995, 17/182 of 2001/1995, 27/164 of 2001/1995, 18/183 of 2001/1995, 67/180 of 1999/1995 and 57/181 of 2000/1995. Since, the above M.A.C. cases were filed out of the same accident by different claimants under Section 166 of the Act and they were disposed of by a common award dated 4.2.2006 and the grounds taken in all the appeals are similar, they are disposed of by this common judgment. The claimants' case in a nutshell is that on 12.6.1995 the deceased persons and the injured were returning to their respective homes in a trekker bearing Registration No. OR-01-9505 along with the groom after attending a marriage. While they were coming from village Jalada to village Bari on N.H.B. at about 5.50 A.M. in front of Matiapada Dhaba hotel an Truck bearing registration No. AP-16T-6845 coming from the opposite direction hit the Trekker resulting in death of some of th