MARGAO: After a long and arduous legal battle spanning six years, the elderly parents and widow of a 43-year-old man, who lost his life in a road accident at Neura-O-Pequeno, have finally found solace in the form of justice.
The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) North Goa has awarded them a compensation of Rs 75.55 lakh, a figure that significantly exceeds their initial claim of Rs 15 lakh.
The Tribunal’s ruling mandates that the insurance company, the driver at fault, and the car owner must jointly bear the financial burden of the awarded compensation. This decision comes in the wake of a harrowing incident that occurred on October 9, 2018, on the Neura-Dongri road, when Peter Gracias, allegedly drove his car recklessly and collided at high speed with Anand Naik’s scooter, inflicting fatal injuries upon him.
In their plea for compensation, Anand’s parents explained that their son was the primary breadwinner of the family, regularly providing financial support to his father, Gajanan. While the family’s initial claim stood at Rs 15 lakh, the Tribunal’s Presiding Officer, Sherin Paul, calculated the compensation amount to be Rs 75.55 lakh, taking into account Supreme Court rulings and ensuring that Anand’s widow was also recognised as a beneficiary.
The awarded sum will accrue an annual interest of 6% from the date of the petition filing until the full payment is made. In granting the petition, along with associated costs, the Court has specified that the parents are entitled to receive half of the total compensation, while the remaining half is designated for Anand’s widow.
