Chennai: The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, Chennai, ordered a private insurance firm to pay compensation of Rs 28.88 lakh to family members of State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) bus driver, who died in a road accident five years ago.
In her petition, J. Rose Mary of Medavakkam said that her husband John Bright Raj, 51 worked as a driver in the SETC. On September 24, 2013 at about 1.30 am, he was driving a bus from Chennai to Kanyakumari. When bus reached Manikandam near Trichy on the Trichy to Madurai highway, a trailer lorry was parked in the middle of the road, its parking lights not switched on. The bus driven by John Bright Raj hit the lorry and he, the conductor and other passengers sustained grievous injuries. John Bright Raj who sustained multiple injuries, died on the way to hospital.
An FIR was registered by Manikandam police station, Trichy district. She said that her family including her two daughters and his mother, depended on the income of her husband and had now lost their sole breadwinner.
Rose Mary contended that the accident had occurred due to the negligence of the lorry driver. Hence, the owner of the lorry M. Rangasamy of Thathathiripuram, Namakkal district and insurer of the vehicle, Reliance General Insurance Co.Ltd., Nungambakkam, were liable to pay a compensation of '40 lakh to them.
In its reply, Reliance General Insurance Co.Ltd denied the allegations and attributed the accident due to the negligence of John Bright Raj. Hence, they said this petition was liable to be dismissed.
On completion of trial, the Judge, Small Causes Court-II, S. Priya held that the accident took place due to the act of the lorry driver. She directed the insurance firm to pay compensation of '28.88 lakh to the family members with interest of 7.5 per cent per annum from July 2014.
