Legal Reference Library

In an effort to make two-wheeler riders obey the compulsory helmet rule, the Madras High Court has reduced the compensation awarded to a victim of motor vehicle accident by Rs. 50,000 for contributory negligence on his part by not wearing a helmet. A Division Bench of R. Sudhakar and S. Vaidyanathan made the rare order on a cross objection moved by the victim Mani Raj and an appeal moved by the National Insurance Company against the order of Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (Additional District Judge) Fast Track Court No.I, Poonamallee dated November 17, 2011. The issue pertains to an accident in which Mani Raj was hit by a speeding car on Chitlapakkam main road on November 16, 2007. He was grievously injured in the accident and was bed-ridden, in a vegetative state till 2012. Based on oral and documentary evidence, the Motor Accident Tribunal awarded Rs. 35.50 lakhs compensation to the victim to be paid by the National Insurance Company, who was the insurer of the car that hit Mr. M...

Death or injury resulting from negligence of a worker in the course of employment is no reason to deny compensation under the Employees Compensation Act, the Supreme Court asserted in the case, Jaya Biswal vs IFFCO Tokio General Insurance. Negligence is a factor under the Motor Vehicles Act, but not relevant in the Employees Compensation Act. In this case, a young truck driver died in an accident. His dependants approached the Commissioner of Compensation. He awarded Rs 10.75 lakh. The insurance company appealed to the Odisha high court. It reduced the compensation by half, "in the interest of justice". The parents appealed to the Supreme Court. It castigated the high court for reducing the amount by merely claiming that it was in the interest of justice. The apex court awarded Rs 11 lakh with 12 per cent interest. Moreover, the court stated that "in light of the unnecessary litigation and hardship of the dependants in spending on litigation to get the compensation we de...