IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA,
DHARWAD BENCH
DATED THIS THE 18TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2022
PRESENT
THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE S.SUNIL DUTT YADAV
AND
THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE UMESH M ADIGA
MFA NO.103604 OF 2019 (MV-I)
BETWEEN
1. MR.ABHISHEK
S/O. MAHANTESH MADIWALAR
AGE : 20 YEARS,
OCC : AGRICULTURE AND COOLIE (NOW NILL)
R/O. HALEKADROLI VILLAGE,
TQ: BAILHONGAL, DIST :BELAGAVI
PRESENTLY AT SADASHI NAGAR
BELAGAVI-590001.
...APPELLANT
(BY SRI.SHRIKANT T PATIL, ADVOCATE)
AND
1. SHRI.DADAPEER KUTUBUDDIN
AGE : 45 YEARS, OCC : BUSINESS
R/O. 211 TURMARI VILLAGE
TQ: BAILHONGAL, DIST: BELAGAVI-591102
(OWNER OF TVS APACHE M/C.NO.KA-23/ED 8584)
2. THE DIVISIONAL MANAGER
UNITED INSURANCE CO. LTD.,
D.O.1568 MARUTI GALLI
BELAGAVI-590001
2
(POLICY NO.16280121P111047464
VALID FROM 19/12/2015 TO 18/12/2016)
…RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI.M.K.SOUDAGAR, ADV. FOR R2)
(NOTICE TO R1 DISPENSED WITH)
THIS APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 173(1) OF
MOTOR VEHICLES ACT, 1988, PRAYING TO CALL FOR
RELEVANT
RECORDS
FROM
LOWER
COUT
IN
MVC
NO.136/2017 ON THE FILE OF XI ADDL. DISTRICT AND
SESSIONS JUDGE AND ADDL. MACT, BELAGAVI AND MODIFY
THE JUDGMENT AND AWARD DATED 19.06.2017 PASSED IN
MVC NO.136/2017 ON THE FILE OF XI ADDL. DISTRICT AND
SESSIONS JUDGE AND ADDL. MACT., BELAGAVI.
THIS APPEAL HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED ON
10.10.2022
FOR
ORDERS
AND
COMING
ON
FOR
PRONOUNCEMENT, THIS DAY, UMESH M ADIGA J.,
DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
3
This appeal is directed against the award and
judgment
passed
in
No.136/2017
dated
19.06.2017 on the file of the XI Addl. District and
Sessions Judge and MACT, Belagavi.
2.
We refer the parties as per their ranks before the
Trial Court.
3.
It is the case of appellant/petitioner that he met
with an accident by involvement of the vehicle bearing
No.KA-23/ED-8584 on 12.04.2006 at 10 p.m. on
Halekadrolli to Itagi road near Kadrolli village. Due to
the accident, he sustained grievous injuries and
accident was caused due to rash and negligent driving
of the above said vehicle. With these reasons he
prayed to award compensation of Rs.21,00,000/-
under different heads.
4
4.
Respondent No.2 has denied the contentions of
the appellant. It is further contended that petition
was bad for non-joinder of necessary parties. Owner
and insurer of motor cycle bearing No.KA-24/U-3521
were necessary parties. Liability of respondent No.2
was restricted to terms and conditions of the policy of
insurance, with these reasons prayed to dismiss the
petition.
5.
From the rival contentions of the parties, the
Trial Court framed the following issues:
1.
Whether the petitioner proves that on
12.04.2016 at 10.00 p.m. on Kadrolli-Itagi
road, within the limits of Kadrolli village,
taluka
Bailhongal,
petitioner
sustained
injuries due to rash or negligent riding of
vehicle bearing Reg.No.KA-23/ED-8584?
2.
Whether the petition is barred for non-
joinder of owner and insurer of motorcycle
bearing No.KA-24/U-3521?
5
3.
Whether the respondent No.2 proves that the
petitioner contributed to the accident and
caused it due to rash or negligent riding of
motor cycle bearing No.KA-24/U-3521?
4.
Whether
the
petitioner
is
entitled
for
compensation? If so, at what amount and
from whom.
5.
What order or award?
6.
Appellant/petitioner examined PW.1 and 2 and
got marked Exs.P.1 and P.2 and closed his evidence.
Respondent No.2 has not led oral evidence but
marked policy of insurance as the Ex.R1.
7.
Learned trial judge appreciating the proceedings
and evidence of both the parties answered issue No.1
in the affirmative, 2 and 3 in the negative and issue
No.4 partly in the affirmative and awarded total
compensation of Rs.4,63,200/- under different heads
by impugned judgment.
6
8.
Following point emerges for our determination.
1) Whether
interference
in
the
findings
of
learned trial judge is called for?
Answer: Partly in the affirmative for the
following reasons:-
9.
Fact of accident is not in dispute. The appellant
challenged impugned judgment pertaining to quantum
of compensation. The learned advocate for appellant
vehemently contends that as per evidence of PW.2,
the total disability was 45% to the right lower limb but
the learned trial judge has erroneously taken the
disability as 15%, which caused injustice to appellant.
The learned advocate for respondent No.2 supported
the finding of the impugned judgment and submits
that the percentage of disability stated by PW.2 was
only to the right lower limb and if it considered to
whole body, it shall be 1/3rd. Accordingly, the learned
7
trial Judge relying on the judgment in the case of
Rajkumar Vs. Ajaykumar and another reported in
2011 ACJ 1 SC, calculated the disability. There is no
illegality in the said finding.
10.
The
submission
of
learned
advocate
for
respondent
No.2
is
tenable.
In
the
impugned
judgment at para No.17, the learned trial judge has
discussed in-detail about the said fact and rightly
came to conclusion that the total disability of the
petitioner to the whole body was 15%. Hence, it does
not call for any interference.
11.
Learned advocate for appellant contended that
appellant was earning Rs.15,000/- per month and it
was not considered by the Trial Court. The said
contention is not acceptable since there was no
evidence in this regard, before the Trial Court. On the
basis of guess work, as discussed in para No.16 of
8
impugned judgment the learned trial Judge assessed
the income of appellant
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