A woman has been awarded Rs five lakh compensation by Thane Motor Accident Claims Tribunal for her physical disability caused in a road accident.
MACT member and District Judge K D Vadane ordered the offending jeep driver and its owner, both hailing from Surat in Gujarat, to jointly and severally pay the amount to the woman.
The claimant, Manisha Sandeep Gharat, who was 31-year-old at the time of accident), a resident of Wagle Estate area in the city, in her application stated that on September 18, 2012, she was riding pillion on a bike being driven by her husband.
When they reached near Powane village on Thane-Belapur road, a jeep came from behind in high speed, and in a rash and negligent manner, rammed into their motorcycle. As a result of the accident, the woman fell down and sustained multiple grievous injuries.
She alleged that the accident occurred solely due to the negligence on the part of the car driver and an offence was registered against him at Turbhe police station.
The woman said that after the accident she was taken to different hospitals and treated but her injuries were not cured and permanent disability was caused to her.
She further submitted that at the time of the accident, she was doing tailoring work and earning Rs 5,000 per month but due to accidental injuries she was unable to do any work and thus it caused future loss of income. Thus, she sought Rs 5.25 lakh compensation.
The jeep driver, Ravindra Laxman Chavan, and its owner Sunilkumar Pahyabhai Umrigar, did not represent themselves and hence the matter was decided ex-parte against them.
In his order, the judge noted that the contention of the applicant is corroborated by the police papers on record.
Therefore, in the absence of any rebuttal evidence, the contention of the applicant appears to be trustworthy.
"Therefore, I have no hesitation to come to conclusion that the impugned accident occurred due to sole negligence on the part of driver of the jeep," the judge further observed.
"Taking into consideration the nature of injuries caused to the applicant, in my view, certainly she has been caused permanent disability, affecting her working capacity to the extent of 20 per cent," he recently noted.
The woman was awarded Rs 5 lakh compensation, including the cost incurred on medical treatment.
Of the total realisation, the judge ordered that Rs 2 lakh be invested in a fixed deposit for five years in the name of the applicant and the balance amount be paid to her.
