Partly allowed

Mohan Chaudhary & Anr. v. Bijender & Ors.

Punjab & Haryana HC2 Dec 2019FAO/7161/2017

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The High Court held that the delay in filing the appeal was condoned. Following Supreme Court precedents, the tribunal was remitted to reconsider the compensation calculation, applying a multiplier of 17 for the deceased aged 26 and accounting for future prospects, instead of the age-based multiplier of 13 used by the tribunal. Payment of additional compensation was directed.

What did the court decide?

The High Court awarded additional compensation to the claimants and discharged the proceedings with the appeal disposed of accordingly.

Mohan Chaudhary & Anr. Vs Bijender & Ors. — Motor Accident Claims | Punjab & Haryana HC (2019)

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I N THE HI GH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDI GARH

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FAO No. 7161 of 2017 ( O&M) DATE OF DECI SI ON: 02. 12. 2019

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Mohan Chaudhar y and anot her …. . Appel l ant s

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ver sus

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Bi j ender and ot her s

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. . . . . Respondent s

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CORAM: - HON’ BLE MRS. JUSTI CE ALKA SARI N

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Pr esent : Mr . Kunal Dawar , Advocat e f or t he appel l ant s

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Mr s. Vandana Mal hot r a, Advocat e f or r espondent No. 3

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ALKA SARI N, J. :

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CM- 22956- CI I - 2017:

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For t he r easons st at ed i n t he appl i cat i on, t he del ay of 97 days’ i n f i l i ng t he appeal i s condoned.

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Appl i cat i on st ands di sposed of .

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FAO No. 7161 of 2017:

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Thi s i s a cl ai mant s’ appeal f or enhancement .

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The br i ef f act ual mat r i x of t he case i s t hat on 27. 04. 2015 at about 12. 30 P. M. Ashok Tewat i a ( si nce deceased) al ong wi t h hi s f at her Mohan Chaudhar y was goi ng f r om Bal l abgar h si de t o Sohna i n car bear i ng r egi st r at i on No. HR- 29AH- 1585. As t hey r eached near vi l l age Samaypur , Tehsi l Bal l abgar h, Di st r i ct Far i dabad, Ashok Tewat i a st epped down f r om t he car t o r el i eve hi msel f . Meanwhi l e, t he of f endi ng bus bear i ng r egi st r at i on No. HR- 38- Q- 6640, bei ng dr i ven by Bi j ender Si ngh, r espondent No. 1, at a ver y hi gh speed and i n a r ash and negl i gent manner , came f r om t he si de of Raj i v Col ony, Bal l abgar h, and hi t Ashok Tewat i a due t o whi ch he suf f er ed ser i ous i nj ur i es. The dr i ver of t he of f endi ng bus f l ed f r om

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PARKASH CHAND 2019.12.09 17:18 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document

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FAO- 7161- 2017

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t he spot l eavi ng behi nd t he bus. Ashok Tewat i a was decl ar ed br ought dead at Gover nment Hospi t al , Bal l abgar h.

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The appel l ant s ( par ent s of deceased) cl ai med compensat i on t o t he t une of Rs. 50 l akhs due t o t he unt i mel y deat h of Ashok Tewat i a, who was unmar r i ed. The Tr i bunal has par t l y al l owed t he appeal and has awar ded t he f ol l owi ng compensat i on: -

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Sr . Head Compensat i on Awar ded No. ——

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1. I ncome ` 14, 000/ - ——

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1. Deduct i on f or per sonal 50% = ` 7, 000/ - per mont h expenses ( bei ng unmar r i ed) ——

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1. Mul t i pl i er 13 ——

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By t aki ng age of par ent s = 84, 000 x 13 = 10, 92, 000/ - bet ween 46- 50 year s ——

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1. Funer al & Tr anspor t ` 28, 000/ - Expenses ——

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1. Loss of l ove and ` 30, 000/ - af f ect i on ——

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1. Tot al compensat i on: ` 11, 50, 000/ -

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Pl us i nt er est @ 8% per annum f r om t he dat e of f i l i ng of cl ai m pet i t i on t i l l r eal i sat i on.

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At t he out set , l ear ned counsel appear i ng f or r espondent No. 3 has f ai r l y st at ed t hat t he mul t i pl i er of 13 has wr ongl y been appl i ed by t he Tr i bunal consi der i ng t he age of t he par ent s. Thei r Lor dshi ps of t he Apex Cour t have hel d i n t he case of Sube Si ngh & Anot her vs. Shyam Si ngh ( deceased) and ot her s, r epor t ed as 2018( 3) SCC 18 , t hat mul t i pl i er shoul d depend on t he age of t he deceased and not on t he age of t he dependant s.

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PARKASH CHAND 2019.12.09 17:18 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document

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FAO- 7161- 2017

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I have hear d l ear ned counsel f or t he par t i es.

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As per l aw l ai d down by t he Apex Cour t i n t he case of Sube Si ngh ( supr a) , Smt . Sar l a Ver ma and ot her s vs. Del hi Tr anspor t Cor por at i on and anot her , 2009( 6) Supr eme Cour t Cases 121 and Nat i onal I nsur ance Company Lt d. vs. Pr anay Set hi and ot her s, ( 2017) ( 16) Supr eme Cour t Cases 680, a mul t i pl i er of 17 ought t o have been appl i ed keepi ng i n vi ew t he age of t he deceased, who was 26 year s ol d at t he t i me of t he acci dent . The Tr i bunal f ai l ed t o assess f ut ur e pr ospect s, whi ch, as per l aw l ai d down by t he Apex Cour t i n Pr anay Set hi and ot her s ( supr a) , woul d be t o t he t une of 40%. Ther ef or e, t he amount payabl e t o t he cl ai mant s woul d be as under : -

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Sr . Head No.

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Compensat i on Awar ded

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——

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1. I ncome ` 14, 000/ - ——

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1. Deduct i on ( 50%) ` 7, 000/ - per mont h ——

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1. Fut ur e pr ospect s 40% 7000x40 = ` 2, 800/ - 100

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——

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1. Tot al I ncome 7000+2800 = ` 9800/ - ——

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1. Annual I ncome 9800 x 12 = ` 1, 17, 600/ - ——

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1. Mul t i pl i er x 17 117600 x 17 = ` 19, 99, 200/ - ——

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1. I ncr ease on account ` 30, 000/ - of l oss of l ove & af f ect i on and f uner al expenses

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The Tr i bunal havi ng al r eady awar ded compensat i on of Rs. 11, 50, 000/ - , t he appel l ant s woul d be ent i t l ed t o r ecei ve compensat i on of Rs. 8, 79, 200/ - over and above t he amount awar ded by t he Tr i bunal al ong wi t h i nt er est @ 8 per cent per

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PARKASH CHAND 2019.12.09 17:18 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document

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FAO- 7161- 2017

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annum f r om t he dat e of f i l i ng of t he cl ai m pet i t i on t i l l i t s r eal i zat i on.

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The appeal accor di ngl y st ands di sposed of .

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( ALKA SARI N) JUDGE