CHENNAI: Legal heirs of a 60-year-old daily wage labourer, who was killed in a road accident, were awarded `5.35 lakh as compensation by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal.
V Rani (38), V Rajendran (40) and V Kuttiammal (42), the children of Kannamma (60), who was killed in a road accident in 2010, approached the Tribunal, seeking compensation from the insurer of the vehicle, which hit Kannamma.
They submitted that on July 07, 2010, at about 6.45 pm, Kannamma was walking along Thambaiah Reddy Road near West Mambalam, when a mini- cargo van driven in a rash and negligent manner fatally knocked down Kannamma. The petitioners claimed that the accident occurred due to the fault and negligence of the driver, hence the insurer of the vehicle — Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company — was liable to compensate their loss and sought `6 lakh as compensation.
A case was registered by the Guindy police under sections 279 (rash driving on public way) and 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) of IPC.
The insurer of the van contended that the vehicle did not have a valid permit during the time of the accident, thereby the van owner had violated the terms and conditions of the policy, hence was not liable to pay any compensation.
Chief Judge J Chandran, rejecting the insurer’s plea, ruled that the insurer was liable to compensate the victim’s family and directed the insurer to pay `5.36 lakh.
He further directed that Rani and Kuttiammal shall receive `1.78 lakh each and Rajendran `1.79 lakh. The judge also granted `25,000 towards funeral expenses of the deceased.