High Court Karnataka High Court

The Oriental Insurance Co Ltd vs Smt Lakshmidevamma @ Lakshmamma on 21 September, 2010

Karnataka High Court
The Oriental Insurance Co Ltd vs Smt Lakshmidevamma @ Lakshmamma on 21 September, 2010
Author: K.L.Manjunath And B.Manohar
3

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE

DATED THIS THEu2!'" DAY OF SEPTEMBER. 20

PRESENT

THE HON'BLE MRJUSTICE K.L.MANJ1q1§'Afm;*&~%L%L*  T ' AL

AND

THE I-§ON'BLE MR. JUSTICE4B,}\}iANOI§L1AR ' "   

MFA.NO.6581 o§**%2:¢06 [WC} _  
B EN:  '4 'V L

The Oriental} Insurance Co. VIV_.tc'i..V V' A
C.G.O.No.14, No.1o;_f0:,   _ _ _ 
IF100r, 3*" cross,        
Chikkanna   "    %
Shankarmutt C'o.Vr.r1po;x_1nd', '  é_  '
Bangaiorewfléw    -

Through its Re--gi0naI"Ofޢe:~, V   '

N0.45/44._ Leo simpping C_0rf{p1eX,

R.esidenc3;.r Road, "  V

zeazigaxoréaaea 001.  **** 

Rep.» by-its D1<..K.4V;Naga.rajan.  APPELLANT

    (ByM%sri;%K;K§V;:sargi1:A#& C.M.Rajakumar, KRV Associates]

 ANS:

*   .  f » Sh:1;.La:1(sh:z1idevamrr1a

 T '  @..I_.akshma1nma,

   Laged about 42 years,

5""



W / o.Venkataramappa,

Resident ofVaddaraha11i Village,
Mulbagal Taluk,

Kolar District.

2. Sri.B.R.Rajagopa1,

@ Kummadevanahajli Raju.
Aged about 45 years,
Resident of Gudipalli,
Mulbagal Taluk, V    * . 2   "
Kolar District.    RES'§O£'€D.ENT!S

[By Sri.N.M.Prithvi Raj 8: Sri.__I§:R,I€agesha; Advofcates for
R1, R2 sewed) =  '   

 
MFA filed    {a} -gofj  against the
Judgment and Awa;1~da1:dat¢d;di2i'7zoos 'passed in WCA: NFC~

53: 2004 on the  Officer and Commissioner
for Workmen'3V_  awarding cornpensation
of Rs.3,3_1._506/"--* a:11d.'.'intere'st of Rs.73,926/~ and directing
vappfeii?aIitfV'i1erein to deposit the same.

   been heard and reserved and coming

 for A'_ofonoiii'ief:erhent of Judgement this day, B.I\/£2-KNOHAR
  J. ,e Vde1iverezd"'the 'following:

45¢



JUDGMENT

The Oriental Insurance 1 Company Limited;~.V_::’b’e’ing

aggrieved by the award dated 27-2-2006 made ~

53 / 2004 by the Commissioner for Work.rn_en’s’ if V’

Kolar filed this appeal.

2. The brief facts of the case foil’0’¢ffS:~

The first respondent, filed petition. before the
Commissioner for Wori{nienis..V.§’:’»V seeking
compensation contending as a collie
in the Goods No.KA~07/4354
belonging The second respondent
was paying hérg: ~p.m. and Rs.40/~ per
dayas Q11′-‘i%#A’-T2004′ while taking a load of tomato

from iiingapura.ivtofvaddarahalli, due to the rash and negligent

ioféthe of the said vehicle, the goods auto fell

_i”n4f0_g£l ditchvfon the left side of the road. Due to the accident,

‘C_’_”‘the«i_clairnant sustained serious injuries. She was shifted to

,, Hospital for the tre/gtnent. However, her left leg was

amputated to the extent of 1/3 portion. The Poiice have

registered a case against the said driver under Secti_ons.2~’Z9,

337 and 338 of IPC. In View of the accident, the .

become permanently disabled to do _any4coo1ie” Tile ll”

accident took place during the course *

hence, she sought for compensation uA1’ider~ \KIor1m’ien’s’-it

Compensation Act.

3. In pursuance to the Commissioner
for Workmerfs Cops -sQ.%{inpd”resVpondent–Insurer
filed ob3’ections=7 made in the claim
petition. that-l the said vehicle is covered
by insuranceé.”‘–,g£’_p\s of the Policy, the Policy
issued coversfitieprisk of owner, driver and one coolie

Goods Auto did not possess the valid

vlicenuseplihas’ onV’i.1:he’,::.date of the accident. Hence. sought for

dismissai ofhthe. claim petition as against the insurer. The

resp.ondent owner of the vehicle remained exparte before

it hf below.

érv

4. On the basis of the pleadings of the parties”, the
Commissioner for Workmen’s Compensation

necessary issues.

5. In order to prove the case, the »-c1airnar1t”c-Viexamiineid V

herself as P.W1 and got marked the

Ex.P.6 and she has examined

The Insurer cross-examined.}ooth..P;W}:1

6. In the cross–examination1,’ I that she was

working as a coo1ie”rT.1nder:_the..’secontifrespondent since two

years. While, of tomato to Vaddarahalli
market, the ‘vehic_1e’ an accident. The owner of

the vehicileivwas her a salary of Rs.3,000/– p.m. and

batta. The accident has taken place

Vduringiithe employment. Due to the accident, her

_w’7e.._Q’1eftV}.eg was sinpntated to the extent of 1/3 portion and she is

2 . = .¢;atit1eci for the compensation.’

éw

7. The Doctor who examined her was also cross–examined

by the Insurer. In the cross–examination. the Doctorthas

deposed that due to the Gangrene, the left leg of

was amputated and the disability was_a..Ssessed”a’t it ”

the Commissioner for Workmen’s~. C_’oa’1pens’ati’ori

considering the oral and documentary evidence -vparties; . C’

taking into consideration the by the
claimant as Rs.3,000/~ getpplying relevant
factor, awarded compe.nsaftilon — with interest
at the rate of 12.3/0 petition.

8. The by the award passed by
the Commislsiojnerl Compensation filed the
abéve appear.

» learned counsel appearing for the

that the compensation awarded by the

Commisslioner for Workmen’s Compensation is contrary to

also contends that though the Doctor has

Aw

assessed the disability at 50%, the Commissioner had taken

the disability at 100% and awarded compensation, which is

contrary to law. Further contended that awarding -.fl1.Q9’b

interest from the date of filing of the claim

contrary to the law laid down by the ;vHMo:ri’ble

and sought for setting aside. the

Commissioner.

10. 03:1 the other for the first
respondent ‘bassed by the
Commissioner contending that
since the leg has been amputated, she has
suffered disability to Work. Hence, she is entitled
for ggcompeinsatiou by the Commissioner and sought

for_Vdismissab.i appeai.

carefully gone through the arguments

“”T.-iéiaddregssedllby’ the parties; perused the award and oral and

evidence Iet in by the parties.

é~

12. It is not in dispute that the claimant was injured in a

motor accident that occurred on 19–4–2004~ while _a

load of tomato to Vaddarahalli market. _

accident, the claimant was admitted; it

Since, the Gangrene has developed in:l”hei5,’_’left leg

leg was amputated to the extent.,:Vpoi7,_%i portion, ~b’odiIy*ll

disability was assessed at 5.90/0, pti1’el:..fi:nctional’disability was
assessed at 100% by the is an illiterate
woman, doing coolie» amputated, she
cannot do any thew.-Commissioner taking
into consid.’ei*atio.nvf, suffered by the
claimant, age,V’the her and also applying the
relevant factonhas “the compensation, which is in
illiloiwever, while assessing the income,

the Corninis:siorier._hjas not taken into consideration the batta

of Rs.-41}/_V- per claimed by the claimant, since the coolie is

” “eij1tit1ezd’v.for any batta. Taking into consideration 60% of

drawn by tifienclaimant, age and also applying the

relevant factor. the Commissioner has awarded
compensation. We find there is no infirmity or irregularity in

the said order. Hence, We confirm the said order.

13. The contention of the appellant’s cot_1Hr__1se~.l.

interest awarded by the Commissioner ‘rate

from the date of claim petition is,eontra;1y_ to theslawt has -‘

substance. The Hor1’ble Ca
reported in 2009 AIR of THE
ORIENTAL INSURANCE V/s. MOHD.

NASIR AND ‘that the claimant is
entitled to of -7.53% pa. from the date of
claim petition”‘~till the award and at the
rate of date of passing the award till
the above, we pass the following:

A it C O R D E R

filed by the appellant is allowed in part.

«:j.C’ornpensation awarded by the Commissioner is confirmed.

the claimant is entitled for interest at the rate of

/SW

7.5% p.a. from the date of claim petition till the date of
passing the award and at the rate of 12% p.21. from the

passing the award til} deposit.

The compensation amount in if

court may be transferred to the Motof–._Accidejnts ‘

Tribunal, Koiar.

Ju&ee;

eai§.;

*b”df§$§9e