Tribunal compensates Sea Link's first casualty

The Motor Accident claims tribunal awarded compensation to the family of a Breach Candy Hospital employee, who was killed in an accident on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in December 2009, the first casualty case which occurred on the sea link.

The tribunal awarded a compensation of Rs 35,26,000 to the family of the deceased along with nine per cent interest rate on the amount from the year 2009. The onus of paying the compensation is on the taxi driver, the driver who collided with the taxi, and the two insurance firms of both the vehicles.

The tribunal in its orders stated, "The dimensions of the road show that it was 40 feet broad. The spot panachnama shows the gravity of the accident and the fact that there was sufficient space for the drivers of both the vehicles to take caution and avoid the accident. It is well settled that the driver must keep a proper watch on all the directions and must have control over his vehicle."

Mathur Seetharaman, a resident of Dombivli, was an employee with one of the top private hospitals in south Mumbai and was travelling in a taxi from Bandra to Worli. A Skoda car belonging to Asha Mehta, took a sudden right turn knocking down the road divider and collided with the taxi. The car was running at a speed of more than 100 km/hour. Due to the impact, the deceased sustained serious injuries and later succumbed to it.

The family of the deceased, which includes, his wife, his son and parents, had approached the tribunal seeking for compensation. "He was a man of robust health and an employee with the hospital's accounts department. Due to the sudden loss, the family was deprived of their source of livelihood," the family's plea said.

When the tribunal asked the insurance firm of the taxi as well as Skoda to file their reply, the two justified how their respective driver's were not at fault.

THE CASE

• In December 2009, a Skoda car took a sudden right turn knocking down the road divider and collided with the taxi on the Sea Link.
   
• The car was zooming at more than 100 km/hour.
   
• The victim later succumbed to serious injuries.