- A tribunal in Thane awarded Rs 25.2 lakh to a girl with permanent disabilities from an accident
- The accident occurred in February 2016 when a car hit the victim, then one year old
- The girl suffered 50% functional disability, including hearing loss and facial palsy
The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Thane has awarded a compensation of Rs 25.2 lakh to a girl who suffered permanent physical disabilities in an accident nearly a decade ago, noting that she had a “bright future”.
In his order on Wednesday, Tribunal Member R V Mohite said victim Gracy Nitin Thorat, who was merely one year old at the time of the accident, faces a lifetime of challenges due to the negligence of others.
Gracy was playing in front of her house in the Digha area of Navi Mumbai on February 16, 2016, when a car reversed at high speed and hit her. The child sustained 50 per cent functional disability, including moderate hearing loss in the right ear, corneal opacity in the right eye, and facial palsy, the court noted.
“The father of the claimant (girl) is a teacher. The mother of the claimant was taking tuition. So, the claimant was having a bright future,” the tribunal said.
It held car owner Satendrakumar C Bhatnagar and the insurer jointly and severally liable to pay the compensation and ordered them to pay Rs 25.2 lakh with 9 per cent interest from the date of filing the petition.
Advocate U R Vishwakarma represented the girl, while R N Gurnani appeared for the vehicle owner and A K Tiwari for the insurance company. One Sudheer Y Pawar, to whom the car was sold, was also made the respondent. But he was discharged in the claim petition.
