Woman who lost husband in car crash gets Rs 65 lakh compensation

 A Navi Mumbai woman, who lost her husband in a 2012 car mishap, and her two children were on Saturday awarded a record Rs 65 lakh compensation by a Lok Adalat in Thane.

A Lok Adalat panel comprising R S Chahal, S P Kamath and M N Belose ordered ICICI Lombard General Insurance and the car owner (respondent in the case) to pay the amount to the woman, Vandana Shinde (38), jointly and severally within a period of four weeks, the claimants' lawyer said here.

Joint and several liability is a form of liability that is used in civil cases where two or more people are found responsible for damages. Vandana's husband Pandurang Shinde, who resided in Navi Mumbai, worked as a Manager with Mahanagar Gas Ltd. On the fateful day, September 4, 2012, he was returning home with his office colleague S Sharma in the latter's car.

Sharma was driving the car (insured with ICICI Lombard) when it hit a road metal railing. Pandurang suffered injuries in the accident and later died. The 46-year-old's family members - wife Vandana, son Akshay (17), daughter Nikhita (13) and mother Anusaya (70) claimed a compensation of Rs 1 crore from the insurance company and the car owner.

The Shindes told the panel members that Pandurang was the family's sole breadwinner and was drawing a salary of around Rs 50,000 per month at the time of his death. After going through the case details, the panel fixed the compensation amount at Rs 65 lakh, according to G A Vinod, counsel for the Shinde family.