Thane, Apr 16 A tribunal in Maharashtra's Thane district has awarded a compensation of Rs 86.62 lakh to a 29-year-old man who suffered life-altering injuries and 90 per cent functional disability in a road accident in 2021.
Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) Member R V Mohite, in his judgment, held the owner of a truck and Iffco-Tokio General Insurance Company Ltd jointly and severally liable to pay the amount along with 9 per cent interest per annum to the claimant, Kunal Naresh Tandel.
The tribunal gave the ruling on April 9 and a copy of the order was made available on Thursday.
Appearing for the claimant, his counsel Sachin Mane told the tribunal that the accident occurred on August 12, 2021, when Tandel, then a 24-year-old engineering student, was riding his motorcycle on the Vasai-Navapur Road in Thane district. A speeding truck rammed into him from behind, causing crushing injuries to his abdomen and legs.
Mane represented the claimant, while advocates Abhimanyu Yadav and K V Poojari appeared for the truck owner and the insurance company, respectively.
While assessing the severity of Tandel's injuries, the tribunal member made several significant observations regarding the victim's future.
"The working capacity of the claimant has been reduced more than the extent of disability assessed. So his functional disability is assessed to the extent of 90 per cent," he noted.
Referring to the medical testimony of Dr Narendra Nana Nikam, who treated the victim, the tribunal observed: "The claimant was suffering from crushing injury to lower leg, abdomen and lower back. Such kind of injuries may cause complications in future such as instability, pain and difficulty in walking, soft tissue damage, disfigurement and functional impairment."
The MACT further highlighted the impact on the young man's personal life, stating, "The claimant was operated multiple times at Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai."
According to the tribunal, the total award of Rs 86.62 lakh includes Rs 29.16 lakh for loss of income, Rs 11.66 lakh for future prospects, and Rs 10 lakh specifically for future medical expenses.
It also awarded Rs 3 lakh for "loss of marriage prospects" and Rs 5 lakh for "cosmetic and structural disfigurement."
The tribunal directed that out of the total compensation, a sum of Rs 20 lakh be placed in a fixed deposit with the remainder transferred to the claimant's bank account.
