Dismissing the plea that the accident had occurred due to a stray cow suddenly coming in the way on a highway, a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal has awarded Rs. 18.4 lakh as compensation to the wife of a deceased.
The driver of the vehicle, in his evidence, said that when he was driving his car within the speed limit of 80-90 kmph, a cow suddenly came rushing from the left side of the road. He tried to save the cow by turning the car to the right, and in the process hit the divider and turned turtle, causing the death of Ramesh Lal, who was sitting on the back seat along with other passengers.
The accident had occurred on a highway in Patiala in Punjab in 2015.
Opposing the claim petition, the counsel for the insurance company contented that there was no negligence on the part of the driver as the speed of the car was within limits.
Dismissing its contention, the Presiding Officer of the Tribunal said: “A careful driver would have never done what the driver of the car in the present matter did. So it can be safely concluded that the accident had occurred due to rash and negligent driving of the vehicle by the driver.”