Smt. Aasmati @ Asmati v. Harriram Bedvyas
Case brief
What is this about?
Chhattisgarh High Court, Bilaspur; MAC No. 290 of 2021; decided 18/08/2025 by Justice Parth Prateem Sahu. Maintainability of a second Section 166 Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 claim filed by the legal representatives of an injured claimant (Sadhuram Baghel) who died on 21.03.2017 after his earlier injury claim (Claim Case No. 18/2016, accident of 17.07.2015) was settled before the Lok Adalat on 11.06.2016 for Rs. 3,50,000 and the amount withdrawn. Second claim held barred by principles of res judicata; Claims Tribunal's dismissal upheld; appeal by claimants (Asmati and family) against Harriram Bedvyas and New India Insurance Company Limited dismissed; no compensation awarded.
What did the court decide?
The Claims Tribunal's finding that the second application arising out of the same accident is not maintainable, being hit by the principles of res judicata because the claimant/injured had settled the earlier claim before the Lok Adalat and withdrawn the awarded amount of Rs. 3,50,000, cannot be said to be erroneous or to suffer from any infirmity or illegality.