IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED 25.03.2008 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.PERIYA KARUPPIAH C.M.A.No.1964/2002 Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation [K-Dvn.I] Ltd., rep.by the Managing Director, Kumbakonam. .. Appellant/Respondent Versus R.Jayabalan .. Respondent/Petitioner Appeal preferred under section 173 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, against the judgment and decree made in MACTOP.No.58 of 2000 on the file of the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal [Additional Subordinate Judge] at Mayildauthurai dated 28.2.2002. For Appellant : Mr.M.Krishnamoorthy For Respondent : Mr.S.Sounthar JUDGMENT
This appeal is directed against the award passed by the learned Tribunal, Mayiladuthurai, in MCTOP.No.58/2000 dated 28.2.2002 by the respondent Transport Corporation.
2.The respondent before the Tribunal is the appellant herein. The appellant had questioned the grant of compensation of a sum of Rs.55,250/- in favour of the claimant with interest at 9% per annum with proportionate cost.
3.The claimant was working as a Village Assistant at the relevant point of time. On 05.09.1999, after completing the election work, the claimant and his cousin brother were returning home in bicycles. When they were riding near Balakudi Main Road, the bus belonging to the respondent Transport Corporation bearing Registration No.TN-49-0597 came in the opposite direction and dashed against the claimant, in which accident the claimant sustained grievous injuries and he was admitted in the hospital for treatment. The claimant claimed Rs.3,00,000/- as compensation. The respondent Corporation denied the averments of the claimant and stated in the counter that the claimant alone was not careful in riding the cycle. The respondent Corporation had stated that the injuries are not grievous and that they are simple in nature and the accident had occurred due to the negligence on the part of the claimant. The Tribunal after considering the facts and circumstances of the case, framed the following issues:
“1.Whether the accident occurred due to the rash and negligent driving of the bus belonging to the respondent Transport Corporation? and
2.Whether the claimant is eligible for compensation? If so, what should be the quantum of compensation and whether the respondent Transport Corporation is liable to pay the compensation?”
4.On the side of the claimant, three witnesses were examined and twenty one documents were marked and on the side of the respondent Corporation, only one witness was examined and no document was marked. On considering the oral and documentary evidence, the Tribunal has come to the conclusion that it was due to the rash and negligence driving of the driver of the bus belonging to the respondent Transport Corporation the accident had occurred and awarded Rs.55,250/- as compensation, the details are as under:
Pain and Sufferings – Rs.30,000/-
Permanent Disability – Rs.20,000/-
Medical Expenses – Rs. 1,250/-
Transportation Charges – Rs. 1,000/-
Damages to cycle – Rs. 1,000/-
Attendant Charges – Rs. 1,000/-
Extra Nourishment – Rs. 1,000/-
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Total – Rs.55,250/- ———–
5.The Tribunal had after full fledged enquiry had awarded the compensation of Rs.55,250/- in favour of the claimant for the injuries sustained by him in the accident and the resultant disability caused by those injuries to the claimant.
6.The learned counsel for the appellant/Transport Corporation would submit in his argument that the claimant had also contributed negligence in inviting the accident and the learned Tribunal did not go into the said aspect and fastened the liability against him also. It is also further argued that the quantum of compensation fixed by the learned Tribunal was without any basis and had not followed any norms and therefore, the said assessment should be set aside and the award of compensation must be reduced. He would further submit in his argument that the learned Tribunal had come to the conclusion that there was no disfiguration of face due to any fracture in the mandible. But, the Tribunal had awarded Rs.30,000/- for pain and sufferings and mental torture which is not sustainable in law. Therefore, he would submit that the award may be calculated in a reasonable way and it may be directed to be paid to the claimant with the ratio of negligence on the part of the driver of the appellant Transport Corporation after deducting the ratio of contributory negligence by the claimant and suitable modification may be made in the award and the appeal be allowed.
7.The learned counsel for the respondent/claimant would submit in his argument that the Tribunal had correctly come to the conclusion of awarding a sum of Rs.55,250/- towards compensation against the claim of Rs.3 lakhs made by the claimant and the injuries sustained by the claimant in the accident and the permanent disability caused due to those injuries were also considered by the learned Tribunal and award was passed suitably along with the compensation for transport charges, extra nourishment, attendant charges, damages to cycle and had correctly awarded the compensation and therefore, the revision of compensation is not required. Moreover, he would further submit in his argument that the accident had happened purely on the rash and negligent driving of the respondent driver and the claimant who was riding on his cycle could not have caused such an accident to invite grievous injuries on his body and the things itself would speak volume about the negligence of the respondent’s driver and the learned Tribunal was correct in fastening the liability on the respondent to the fault of its driver. Therefore, he pleads for the dismissal of the appeal.
8.On a careful consideration of the arguments advanced on either side and the evidence produced in the enquiry, we could see that the claimant was riding on a cycle on the fateful date followed by his cousin brother in yet another cycle and the bus belonging to the respondent Corporation had come from the opposite side driven in a rash and negligent manner by its driver and had hit against him and due to the said accident his right leg fractured and his right shoulder also slipped away. He had also lost his ten teeth and his mandible bone was also fractured. Apart from his evidence he had also examined the eyewitness, P.W.2 and the doctor-P.W.3. The evidence of P.Ws.1 and 2 had corroborated the contents of the First Information Report, Ex.P.1. At the same time, the evidence produced by the respondent through its driver R.W.1 had not explained satisfactorily about the proof of negligence cast against him. He had admitted in his cross-examination that he did not give any complaint to the police. On the other hand, we could see that the police had taken action only against R.W.1. Therefore, it can be safely concluded that the rash and negligence was on the part of R.W.1 only for the cause of the accident.
9.The doctor was examined by the claimant as P.W.3 and he had assigned 50% disability through his disability certificate, Ex.P.21 The Wound Certificate produced as Ex.P.2 would show his left leg got fractured and his two right chest bones fractured and his right mandible was fractured and was found loose and he had got head injury with bleeding through the neck and mouth and all the said injuries are classified as grievous in nature. Therefore, we could see there were four fractures and two injuries on his neck and mouth. Therefore, the pain and sufferings suffered by the claimant at the time of accident and during the time of treatment could be compensated at Rs.5,000/- per grievous injury. Therefore, a sum of Rs.30,000/- could be awarded for pain and sufferings. It had been found that the claimant had got 50% disability as per the evidence of P.W.3. The Tribunal had reduced the said percentage from 50% to 20% and had awarded compensation on that basis. However, it had arrived at 45% which was considered to be correct percentage for the calculation of compensation for the claimant. However, the Tribunal had when calculating the compensation for 45% had considered the overall total compensation at Rs.55,250/-. If it is calculated by the Tribunal for the disability of 45%, it should have arrived at a sum of Rs.45,000/-. Therefore, the total compensation should have been Rs.75,000/- plus Rs.5,250/-, arrived for the compensation on other heads. The claimant did not prefer any cross objection in this appeal and therefore, the award of such compensation at Rs.55,250/- cannot be revised to Rs.80,250/-. Therefore,
V.PERIYA KARUPPIAH, J.
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there is no other way except to confirm the award passed by the Lower Court even though the award of compensation is inadequate.
10.For the foregoing discussions and reasons, the appeal preferred by the Transport Corporation fails and the award passed by the learned Tribunal is confirmed. Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed with cost.
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To
The Additional Subordinate Judge
Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal
Mayiladuthurai.