SUMATHIKUTTY Vs. MANOJ N

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Is the age of the dependent claimant irrelevant in a claim under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act Does the decision in Sarla Verma v. Delhi Transport Corporation, 2009 3 ACC 708 followed by P.S. Somanathan v. District Insurance Officer, 2011 1 ACC 659 dispense with the requirement under settled law that the lower multiplier has to be taken into reckoning when different multipliers exist considering the age of the victim/deceased and dependent/claimant in a fatal accident How are Tribunals to identify the multiplier in such cases under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act (the Act hereafter) in future These questions are raised before us in this appeal by Mr. K.B.A. Arunkumar, the learned Counsel for the appellant.

(2.) To the vitally relevant facts first. The appellant/claimant is a woman, aged 61 years. She claimed compensation for the loss suffered by her on account of the death of her son Jayan @ Jayesh Kumar in a motor accident which took place on 11th June, 2008. She preferred to stake the claimant under Section 166 of the Act. A total amount of Rs. 7 lacs was claimed. She had staked the claim along with claimants 2 and 3, children of the appellant and siblings of the deceased.

(3.) The Tribunal by the impugned award came to the conclusion that only the appellant/mother is entitled to compensation. It was further held that only an amount of Rs. 1,53,000 is payable as compensation as per the details given in para 9, which we extract below: <p><table class = tablestyle width="90%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="font-family:Verdana"> <tr> <td> <div align="center"><strong>Sl.</strong></div></td> <td> <div align="center"><strong>Heads of award</strong></div></td> <td> <div align="center"><strong>Amount</strong></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td> <div align="center">Transportation expenses</div></td> <td> <div align="center">2,000</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">Compensation for mental shock and agoney</div></td> <td> <div align="center">5,000</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">Loss of dependency (3000 x 12 x 7 x 1/2)</div></td> <td> <div align="center">1,26,000</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center">Loss of love and affection</div></td> <td> <div align="center">15,000</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> <td><div align="center">Funeral expenses</div></td> <td> <div align="center">5,000</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center">&nbsp;</div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>Total:</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>1,53,000</strong></div></td> </tr> </table>