The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Maharashtra’s Thane district has awarded a compensation of ₹30.34 lakh to the family of a 44-year-old man who lost his life in a road accident in 2018.
MACT member R.V. Mohite, in an order dated August 22 (made available on Thursday), held the car owner, Jayant Devidas Narkar, and the insurer, Tata AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., jointly and severally liable to pay the compensation.
According to the case records, on November 17, 2018, the victim, Shriram Madan Patole, was waiting for a vehicle near Kinhavli Phata bridge on the Mumbai–Nashik Highway when a speeding car veered off the road and struck him along with several others. The impact left six people dead, including Patole.
The tribunal observed that the accident occurred solely due to the negligence of the driver, who lost control of the vehicle and rammed into people standing by the roadside before the car plunged into a nullah.
The tribunal noted that the car owner did not appear before the court, leading to an ex parte order against him. The insurance company argued that there was a breach of policy conditions, claiming that the driver might not have held a valid licence. However, the tribunal dismissed this contention, holding that the insurer failed to prove its claim.
“The insurance company has failed to prove that the driver of the offending vehicle was not holding a valid and effective driving licence at the time of the accident,” the tribunal stated.
The tribunal directed that the compensation of ₹30.34 lakh, along with 9% annual interest from the date of filing of the petition, be paid to the deceased’s wife and minor children.
