Thane, February 20 The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Thane has awarded a compensation of ₹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 the victim, Gracy Nitin Thorat, who was only 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 (the girl) is a teacher. The mother of the claimant was giving tuition. So, the claimant had a bright future,” the tribunal said.
The tribunal held the car owner, Satendrakumar C Bhatnagar, and the insurer jointly and severally liable to pay the compensation and ordered them to pay ₹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 a respondent. However, he was discharged in the claim petition.