New Delhi, Jun 30 A Motor Accident Claims Tribunal here has awarded Rs 29.74 lakh as compensation to a 38-year-old property dealer who suffered permanent physical disability after he was hit by a rashly driven SUV in south Delhi in 2024.
Presiding Officer Aditi Garg was hearing a claim petition filed by Deepak Gupta, who suffered multiple injuries and 66 per cent permanent disability after the SUV driver hit his scooter and fled the spot.
In an order dated June 23, the tribunal said, "The material placed on record prima facie establishes that the accident in question occurred due to the rash and negligent driving of the offending vehicle by respondent No.1 (Suneet Kalra)."
The tribunal noted that the offending vehicle was insured at the time of the accident and directed the insurance firm, Go Digit General Insurance Co. Ltd., to pay the compensation amount to the victim with 9 per cent interest.
According to the tribunal, Gupta was riding his scooter on November 3, 2024, when the Mercedes SUV, allegedly driven rashly by Suneet Kalra, overtook him from the left and hit his scooter in Mandakini Enclave.
While Kalra fled the spot, the front number plate of his SUV fell at the spot. CCTV footage corroborated the involvement of the vehicle. Kalra later confessed to the police that he was driving the vehicle.
The tribunal said that the respondents did not seriously dispute the accident or the insurance cover and held that the material on record established that the accident occurred due to the rash and negligent driving of the offending vehicle.
"It can reasonably be inferred that the injured has suffered substantial impairment in his earning capacity and that he would not be able to perform his professional activities with the same degree of efficiency, mobility and stamina as before the accident," it said.
Gupta suffered multiple fractures, including injuries to his spine, left upper and lower limbs, pelvis, ribs and vertebrae, and was certified to have 66 per cent permanent physical disability.
However, noting that physical disability could not be mechanically equated with the loss of earning capacity, the tribunal assessed his functional disability at 40 per cent, considering that his work as a property dealer required extensive mobility and interaction with clients.
The tribunal awarded Rs 29.74 lakh compensation to Gupta under various heads.
