Road mishap victim awarded Rs 16.33 lakh as compensation

The tribunal asked ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co Ltd, with which the offending vehicle was insured, to pay the sum.

The Tribunal's order came on a complaint by victim Baldev Dass Sharma who had said that on March 7, 2006 afternoon he was hit by a rashly-driven Ford Fiesta car while crossing the road near sector 6, Dwarka here.

He was rushed to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital which, in its report, had said he had suffered "dangerous injuries."

The driver of the car, Priyanka Roy, in her statement had said Sharma had jumped in front of her car from the pavement and she had immediately applied the brakes, and her quick and timely action had saved his life.

Police official Manpal, who was patrolling the area, however, had deposed that the accident had taken place due to negligent driving by the woman and that Sharma being an old man was moving slowly and had not jumped in front of the car.

MACT presiding officer Arun Bhardwaj awarded the compensation to the victim relying on the police official's testimony.

As per Sharma's medical record of treatment at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, he had suffered severe brain trauma in the accident due to which his left side was permanently weakened and required regular physiotherapy sessions.

"Petitioner (Sham) has suffered 50 per cent permanent disability....... Therefore, total compensation payable to petitioner would be Rs 16,33,979," said the tribunal, also relying on bills of Sharma's hospitalisation and subsequent physiotherapy sessions over the past six years.