A restaurant employee who sustained 90% permanent disability in a road accident has been awarded Rs 41.14 lakh in compensation by the Chennai Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal. The tribunal directed IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Company to pay Rs 41,14,722 to Hakkeem, a resident of Sitharkottai in Ramanathapuram district, holding that the accident occurred due to the rash and negligent driving of the lorry driver.
According to the claim petition, the accident took place in December 2022 when Hakkeem was travelling with a friend on a two-wheeler from Ambattur towards Red Hills. The lorry moving ahead allegedly took a sudden right turn without giving any signal, causing the two-wheeler to ram into the vehicle. Hakkeem sustained grievous injuries. Although he underwent treatment and returned home, he was unable to continue his work due to the severe disability. He approached the tribunal seeking Rs 40 lakh in compensation.
Hearing the case, tribunal judge K Sujatha noted that the lorry driver did not possess a valid driving licence at the time of the accident. The tribunal also recorded that Hakkeem had suffered 90% disability and held the lorry driver responsible for the mishap due to overspeeding, negligence, and careless driving.
The tribunal's order emphasized the importance of adhering to traffic rules and maintaining valid licences. The compensation amount includes medical expenses, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and future medical costs. The insurance company was directed to deposit the amount within a stipulated period, failing which it would attract interest.
