Family members of a 32-year-old man, who died in a road accident involving a rashly driven dumper, have been awarded a compensation of over Rs 13 lakh by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal here.
The tribunal directed Reliance General Insurance Company, insurer of the offending vehicle, to pay a compensation of Rs 13,75,048 to the six family members of victim Pappu Ram, a labourer, who was crushed under the wheels of a dumper while he was working on the roadside in 2010.
"The issue stands decided in favour of claimants(family) holding that the accident happened as a result of negligent driving by the driver in which Pappu Ram received fatal injuries," MACT Presiding Officer Ravinder Bedi said, while relying on testimonies of victim's wife Mina and eyewitness Dalip.
The driver of the vehicle died during the pendency of the trial and his mother was impleaded in his place.
The tribunal, while awarding the compensation, rejected the contention of the insurance company that the driver, Manjeet, was driving without a valid driving licence on the ground that the company did not lead any evidence to support this claim.
According to the petition filed by Ram's wife, parents and three children, on the night of April 1, 2010, he was working on the roadside along with one Dalip near Kalyanpuri here when a dumper hit him.
He suffered grave injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared as brought dead, it said.
In their appeal, Ram's family had claimed a compensation of Rs 30 lakh for his death.
The insurance company, through a written statement, had contended that the driver did not have a valid driving licence at the time of the accident.
