Insurance firm to pay Rs 27.65L to kin of accident victim

The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT), Chennai directed Reliance General Insurance to pay Rs 27.65 lakh in an accident claim after a 47-year-old TV mechanic met with an accident and later succumbed to injuries in 2015. 

The petition was filed by the wife of the deceased, S Viji, under section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act and Rule 3 of MACT claiming a compensation of Rs 15 lakh for the death of Samson caused in a road accident. 

Samson, as a pedestrian crossed the road along with his wife Viji when he was hit by a minivan that came in a rash and negligent manner. Immediately, he was taken to Government Stanley Medical Hospital, where he succumbed to injuries on the same day. 

Countering this, the insurance firm denied the allegations contended by the petitioner. They also denied the age, occupation and monthly income of the deceased. “The claim made by the petitioner is a fanciful and exaggerated one and the petition is not maintainable. They are not entitled to any compensation and requests for dismissing the case,” the firm submitted. 

Recording the submissions, Judge S Umamaheswari said, “Even though the insurance firm denied the manner of accident and nature of death, postmortem report and eyewitnesses prove that the accident had occurred only due to rash and negligent driving of the minivan driver.” “The second respondent is directed to pay a sum of Rs 27,65,000 with future interest at 7.5 per cent per annum from the date of the numbering of the petition i.e. 26.10.2016, till the date of realization and with costs,” the judge added.