JUDGMENT

ANISH DAYAL, J.

1. This appeal is under Section 173 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (“the Act”) assailing an award dated 05.01.2013 passed by the Presiding Officer, MACT, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi in Suit No. 191/11/09 titled “Rajbir Singh v. Mahender Singh & Ors.”. The Tribunal awarded a total amount of Rs. 1,53,988/- to the respondent/claimant against which the owner of the offending vehicle has come up in appeal.

2. The incident occurred at 12:00 PM on 03.10.2008 when the respondent/claimant was going to Village Chand Hut from Palwal, Haryana driving a car bearing registration no. DL-3CY8449 with three other occupants. At this time, the offending bus bearing registration no. UP-81N-9418 (“the offending vehicle”) struck a portion of the car being driven by the respondent, resulting in grievous injuries to all the occupants and resulted in the demise of one Rajpal. It was submitted that the driver fled the scene of the accident after the incident. The respondent/claimant sustained a fracture in the right hand, fracture of the second, third, and fourth ribs of the right side, fracture of the fifth, sixth, and seventh ribs of the left side along with several other griev