NATIONAL INSURANCE CO LTD Vs. P A VERGIS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) IN the appeal filed under Section 110 -D of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1939 against an award passed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Kota on 3.12.1981, a cross -objection has also been filed by P.A. Vargis -claimant respondent No. 1 for enhancement of compensation and modifying the decree and award of the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal.

(2.) THE claimant respondent No. 1 filed a claim petition before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as 'the Tribunal'), Kola for his personal injuries allegedly received by him in an accident which took place at 6.30 A.M. on 20th January 1978 when he was going from Kota station to city in an auto -rickshaw No. R.S.R. 8278 driven by one Shiv Prasad. According to the claimant -respondent, when auto -rickshaw reached near Military chauraha, it was dashed by an oncoming truck No. RJR 6625, which was being driven by respondent -non claimant No. 3, namely, Ram Gopal, violating the rules of one way traffic resulting into injuries to the claimant -respondent No. 1, namely P.A. Vargis and the auto -rickshaw driver Shiv Prasad. The claim was contested by National Insurance Co. Ltd., asserting that truck No. 6625 was not being rashly and negligently driven at the relevant time but the accident actual ly occurred due to the rash and negligent driving on the part of the auto -rickshaw driver.

(3.) I have heard learned Counsel for the parties and also gone through the record of the case. learned Counsel appearing on behalf of National Insurance Co. Ltd., could not satisfy me that the award of Rs. 24, 125 was in any way illegal or erroneous. It is to be remembered that an insurance company has limited pleas to be taken. The injuries received by the claimant -respondent an mentioned in the judgment of the Tribunal. Those injuries were caused to the claimant -respondent due to the rash and negligent driving on the port of truck as well as the auto -rickshaw drivers in the middle of the road and it was because of the head -on collision between them that the accident occurred. Consequently, I do not find any merit in the appeal filed by the National Insurance Company.