National Insurance Company to pay Rs 25.17 lakh as compensation

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) has granted a compensation of Rs 25.17 lakh to the parents of a youth, who was killed in a road accident in 2010.

The MACT asked National Insurance Company Limited, with which the bus was insured, to pay the money to the parents of Akshay Soloman, who had died after it hit him from behind. “I award Rs 25.17 lakh as compensation with interest at the rate of 7.5 per cent per annum including interim award, if any from the date of filing the petition (December 13, 2010) …, in favour of the petitioner and against the respondents on account of their liability being joint and several.

“Both petitioners (parents) shall have the equal share in the award amount,” MACT presiding officer S K Aggarwal said.

The order came on the plea of Akshay’s parents, who had claimed a compensation of Rs 25 lakh. 21-year-old Akshay was returning home from office on his motorbike around 5.30 pm on November 30, 2010, when the bus hit him near Punjabi Bagh flyover here. He died on the spot.

His counsel had told the MACT court that he was working with a private firm as a permanent employee, and was drawing a salary of Rs 14,800 per month. He contended that the bus was driven in a rash and negligent manner.

“The deceased was a bachelor of 21 years age for which an appropriate compensation is required…,” the court noted, while directing the insurer to deposit the award amount within a period of 30 days or “it shall be liable to pay an interest at a rate of 12 per cent per annum for the period of delay”.