The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Thane has awarded a compensation of ₹23.45 lakh to the parents of an 18-year-old salesman who lost his life in a 2021 road accident after being hit by a speeding truck on the Mumbra bypass road.
Presiding Officer Rupali V Mohite, in an order passed on Tuesday, held the truck driver liable for the fatal crash and observed that he had the “last opportunity” to prevent the accident but failed to control the speed of the vehicle. The driver also fled the spot after the collision, which the tribunal noted as further evidence of negligent conduct.
The victim, Karan Bhima Jadhav, was riding a motorcycle towards Shilphata in Thane district on August 17, 2021, when a speeding truck rammed into his two-wheeler from behind. He sustained serious injuries and was declared dead before admission at the hospital.
The Mumbra police had registered an FIR against the truck driver for rash and negligent driving.
While awarding the compensation, the tribunal directed the insurer of the truck to pay the awarded amount to the claimants — Karan’s parents — but also allowed the insurer to recover the amount from the vehicle owner. This direction came in light of a “willful breach” of the insurance policy terms, as the truck driver did not possess a valid transport license at the time of the accident.
“The driver of the offending vehicle was the person having the last opportunity to avoid the accident. He could not control the speed and hit the motorcycle from behind. This shows rash and negligent driving,” the tribunal observed.
Although the parents claimed that Karan was employed as a salesman earning ₹20,000 per month, the tribunal considered a notional income of ₹15,000 due to lack of documentary proof. Applying standard parameters under the law, the tribunal arrived at a compensation figure of ₹23.45 lakh.
Of this, ₹10 lakh has been allotted to the father and ₹13.45 lakh to the mother. A portion of the amount has been directed to be kept in fixed deposits for a period of three years. The compensation shall carry an interest of 9% per annum from the date of filing the claim petition.
