Delhi tribunal awards over Rs. 1.62 crore to 21-year-old man injured in road accident

A Delhi Motor Accident Claims Tribunal has awarded over Rs 1.62 crore as compensation to a 21-year-old man, who suffered 53 per cent temporary disability in a road accident in July 2024.

Presiding Officer Vikram was hearing a petition filed by the man.

On July 1, 2024, Aryan Rana was going home when a rashly-driven bus hit his scooty from behind. He sustained grievous injuries and was rushed to a hospital.

The respondents had claimed false implication in the case but had filed no complaint with regards to the same. Furthermore, the conductor of the bus had stated as a witness that the petitioner’s scooty was ahead of the offending bus on the day of the accident and when the bus had overtaken the scooty, the bus collided with it.

In a judgment dated January 6, the tribunal said, “It is held that the rashness and negligence on the part of driver of the offending vehicle, which is clearly visible and as such, was responsible not only for this accident, but also for everything that followed thereafter”

The tribunal noted the petitioner had been medically certified as 53 per cent temporarily disabled. He was 21 years old at the time of the accident and a first year university student who could not continue his education due to the accident.

“The kind of disability, petitioner has suffered shows that the petitioner will never be able to work for gain. His physical disability may improve a little but that will never be such that will allow him to earn. Hence, it would be appropriate to hold that the functional disability of petitioner is 90 per cent”, the tribunal said.

The tribunal awarded him a compensation of over Rs. 1.62 crore under various heads, including Rs. 59.36 lakh for loss of future earnings.

Since the vehicle was insured at the time of the accident, the tribunal directed the insurer, The New India Co. Ltd., to deposit the full compensation amount.