Thane: A panchkarma therapist, who was maimed for life with 80% functional disability after a road accident, has been awarded Rs 43.76 lakh compensation by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), Thane.The tribunal noted that the victim suffered severe injuries, including the loss of his right leg above the knee, after a luxury bus hit his motorcycle in Sindhudurg district on May 11, 2016. The bus was found to be driven rashly and negligently, coming from the wrong direction and colliding with the two-wheeler.Following the accident, the victim was initially treated at a district hospital and later shifted to a Goa-based facility, where complications led to amputation. Medical evidence showed 84% permanent physical disability, with the tribunal assessing functional disability at 80%, severely impacting his livelihood.The tribunal relied on police records and the charge sheet filed against the bus driver to establish negligence, observing that no material was placed on record to prove any fault on the part of the victim.The insurance company contested the claim, citing alleged violations of policy conditions, including lack of valid documents. However, the tribunal rejected these arguments, holding that the vehicle had a valid fitness certificate and the driver possessed a valid licence at the time of the accident.The compensation includes medical expenses, loss of income, future loss of earnings, cost and maintenance of an artificial limb, and damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenities.The tribunal directed the insurer to pay the amount with 9% annual interest from April 27, 2024, till full realisation. It also ordered that 50% of the compensation be kept in a fixed deposit for three years.The claim petition, filed in 2019, was partly allowed with costs.
