A Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in Maharashtra’s Thane district has awarded Rs 63.8 lakh in compensation to the family of a 34-year-old store manager who died following a road accident in 2018. Presiding tribunal member R V Mohite ordered the truck owner, Rajaram R Gupta, and Shri Ram General Insurance Co. Ltd. to jointly and severally pay the compensation, along with 9 percent annual interest accrued from the date the petition was filed in 2018 until the final realization of the amount.
Accident and Police Action
The petition was brought before the tribunal by the victim’s wife, his two children, and his parents following the death of 34-year-old Sharad Gaikwad. On June 4, 2018, Gaikwad was riding pillion on a motorcycle along the Nashik-Mumbai Highway when a speeding truck struck the two-wheeler. Gaikwad suffered severe injuries in the crash and died at a hospital several days later. Following an investigation, law enforcement officials submitted a chargesheet against the truck driver, Rameqbal Rajitram Mishra.
Insurer Challenges Involvement
Shri Ram General Insurance Co. Ltd. contested the compensation claim during the tribunal proceedings. The insurer questioned the involvement of the insured truck and highlighted a 29-day delay in registering the formal police report, which was lodged on July 3, 2018. Additionally, the insurance firm disputed the identity of the driver and asserted that terms of the insurance policy had been breached.
Tribunal Overrules Objections
Rejecting the defense raised by the insurance provider, the tribunal noted that relatives naturally prioritize the medical care and physical well-being of an injured family member immediately after a severe collision rather than hurrying to a police station to file a report. Tribunal member Mohite held that a delay in lodging an FIR does not constitute valid grounds to negate the involvement of an offending vehicle when the claim is substantiated by a police chargesheet and eyewitness testimony. The final compensation figure of Rs 63.8 lakh was computed taking into consideration Gaikwad’s age and his monthly income of Rs 23,800.
