The District Motor Accident Tribunal (MACT) here has awarded a compensation of Rs. 13.35 lakh to the kin of a 38-year-old woman who was killed in a road accident in 2015.
MACT member KD Vadane ordered that the two respondents–owner of the offending vehicle, Geoffrey George Colas, and the insurer HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd– will jointly and severally make the payment to the claimants including the deceaseds husband at 8 per cent interest per annum.
The accident took place on December 6, 2015 when victim Juliyana Ripan Patil, a fish vendor, was travelling in an auto-rickshaw near Uttan Road in the district. A car rammed into the auto, following which Patil died on the spot following which a case was registered against the car driver in Bhayander Police Station, the Tribunal was told.
Patil was earning Rs. 20,000 per month, it was stated.
The case was decided ex-parte against the owner of the car as he did not appear during the hearing. The insurance company appeared and contested the claim on various grounds but their arguments were rejected.
“The impugned accident occurred due to composite negligence on the part of driver of the car and driver of auto-rickshaw in which the deceased was travelling. Therefore applicants are entitled to claim compensation from any one of the joint tortfeasors.
Opponent No.1 and 2, being owner and insurer respectively of car (one of the joint tortfeasors) are jointly & severally responsible to pay the above compensation to the applicants,” said the judge awarding the compensation.
