The family of a car crash victim is set to receive a substantial insurance payout a decade after the fatal accident. The Bombay High Court recently ordered the New India Assurance Company (NIA) to pay the family of the victim, Ravindra Kulkarni, INR 7.60 crore in compensation, reported the Pune Mirror.
In 2008, Kulkarni was driving to Chennai with his wife and two sons when his car was struck by another vehicle. Only one of Kulkarni’s sons survived the crash.
At the time of the accident, the victim was the CEO of Tata Precision Industries in Singapore and the sole earner in his family. In 2009, Kulkarni’s parents and surviving son filed a claim before the Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal in Pune.
The tribunal initially awarded the family of the victim a claim of INR 3.40 crore, but both the family and NIA contested the amount and petitioned the High Court to take the case. NIA alleged that they should not be held liable because the driver of the vehicle that had struck Kulkarni’s car was intoxicated, which is an offence under the Motor Vehicles Act. However, the court rejected the allegation due to a lack of evidence.
In determining the compensation figure, the High Court took into account Kulkarni’s monthly salary, house rental allowance, festival allowance, and interest. The amount may potentially set a new record for an accident claim in India, according to the Pune Mirror.
