The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Chandigarh has directed an insurance company, along with the owner and driver of a bus, to pay a compensation amount of Rs 16,45,100 to the parents of a girl who died in a road accident in 2018.
Saroj Kumari and Raj Kumar, the grieving parents, filed a claim petition under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. The petition sought compensation from the involved parties for the death of their daughter, Priya, who passed away on July 23, 2018.
According to the petition, the accident occurred when Priya, a 17-year-old college student pursuing her first year of Bachelors in Arts, was riding pillion on a motorcycle. The incident took place near Simbhal village while traveling on the route from Barwal Khurd to Baijnath (Himachal Pradesh).
The parents allege that a bus traveling at high speed from the opposite direction struck the motorcycle head-on. They claim the bus was on the wrong side of the road, causing severe injuries to both the rider and Priya. Unfortunately, Priya succumbed to her injuries at the scene.
An FIR was registered on the same day, July 23, 2018, to report the accident. The parents believe the bus driver’s negligence caused the accident and significantly impacted their future. They estimated their daughter’s potential monthly income to be Rs 20,000.
The bus driver and owner contested the claims, asserting that the motorcycle rider’s reckless driving caused the accident.
Following a review of the arguments presented by both parties, the tribunal ruled in favor of the parents. They were awarded a total compensation of Rs 16,45,100 with an interest rate of 7.5% per annum. This interest is calculated from the date the claim petition was filed until the compensation is received. The judgment stipulates that both parents will receive an equal share of the awarded amount.
