Tribunal orders Rs 36.62 lakh for kids who lost parents in road accident

Chennai: The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, Chennai, directed a public sector insurance firm to pay compensation of Rs 42.22 lakh to two minor daughters and a son for the death of their parents in a road accident. They were knocked down by a speeding van on OMR, Semmenchery in 2014.

According to sources, Sridhar, a driver, was riding a motorcycle along with his wife S Sulochana, a flower vendor, as pillion rider on Old Mahabalipuram Road, Semmenchery, on October 22, 2014. A Tata Sumo van driven in a rash manner hit the mobike at Kumaran Nagar junction in the area. The couple fell down, sustained grievous injuries and died. Guindy traffic investigation police registered a case.

In two separate petitions, their minor children, S. Devi, S Priyadharsini, S Iyyappan and Sridhar’s parents, V. Ganesan and G Thillai stated that Sridhar was earning Rs 20,000 per month and Sulochana was earning Rs 500 per day.

They said that the Tata Sumo van was responsible for the gruesome accident. Hence, M. Saravanan, owner of the vehicle and New India Insurance Company Ltd. Moore Street, Chennai, insurer of the van, were liable to pay a total compensation of '90 lakh.In its reply, the insurance firm stated that the accident took place due to Sridhar’s negligence alone, hence, contributory negligence must be fixed on Sridhar.

Passing a common order, the judge, Small Causes court-III, P.Velmurugan said that Saravanan was driving the Tata Sumo van in a rash manner and caused the accident. The minor children lost the love and affection of their parents due to the accident. Hence, Saravanan and the insurance firm were liable to pay a compensation of Rs 36.62 lakh to the children and Rs 5.60 lakh to Ganesan and Thillai. As an insurer of the vehicle, the insurance firm was liable to pay , the judge said.