Ilaben Kamleshbhai Rajyaguru v. Vijaysinh Amarsinh Vaghela
2024-03-13
GITA GOPI
body2024
DigiLaw.ai
JUDGMENT : GITA GOPI, J. 1. The challenge is to the judgment dated 6.4.2018 passed in MACP No. 206/06 by the MACT (Aux), Bhavnagar. 2. The facts of the case as have been noted by the Tribunal suggest that on 1.2.2006, the deceased was driving his Honda Activa near Nilambaug and was going for his catering work at about 8.30 to 8.45 a.m. and one kilometer away from Nilambaug circle, near Swimming pool of Mahanagar Palika, the deceased met with an accident as truck driver of truck bearing registration no. GJ-1-TT-7372 came in a rash and negligent manner in full speed and dashed with Honda Activa. As a result, the deceased sustained serious injuries and succumbed to death. The Tribunal on assessment of the evidence has considered the driver of the truck solely negligent for the accident. 3. Advocate Mr. Premal Rachh for the claimants submitted that during the course of trial, evidence was given to the effect that the deceased was in catering work and he was proprietor of Tripura catering. His earnings were proved by way of income-tax returns for the year 2004-05 at Exh.35 and for the year 2003-04 at Exh.36 and thus, stated that the income tax returns were required to be considered by the Tribunal and merely on assumption, randomly Rs. 2,500/- per month has been considered by the Tribunal which is not in accordance to the evidence produced and proved during the trial. 3.1 Advocate Mr. Rachh further submitted that the consortium loss was required to be granted as per the decision in the case of Magma General Insurance Company Limited vs. Nanu Ram alias Chuhru Ram and Others, (2018) 18 SCC 130 to the dependents. 4. Per contra, Advocate Mr. Maulik Shelat submitted that the income tax returns being statutory documents are to be relied upon, but at the same time, necessary relevant reliable documents were required to be produced to prove his income and further submitted that the Tribunal has committed an error in assessing the prospective rise as 30% where the age of the deceased has been considered as 44 and hence, only 25% prospective rise is required to be added as was in a private work. 5.
5. In the case of Smt. Anjali and Others vs. Lokendra Rathod and Others, 2022 Live Law SC 1012 relying upon the judgment in the case of Malarvizhi and Others vs. United India Insurance Company Ltd. and Another, (2020) 4 SCC 228 , the Hon'ble Supreme Court concurred with the High Court to observe that the determination must provide on the basis of the income tax returns “where available.” The income tax returns as statutory documents on which reliance may be placed to determine the annual income of the deceased. 6. In the present matter, income tax returns for the years 2004-05 was produced at Exh.35 and income tax returns for the year 2003-04 was produced at Exh.36. The accident had occurred on 1.2.2006. Since the income tax returns being statutory documents and in view of the observation of the Hon'ble Apex Court in the referred judgment to assess the income, reliance can be placed on the income tax returns produced. At Exh.35, the income has been shown for the year 2004-05 as Rs. 81,170/- while income tax returns at Exh.36 for the year 2003-04 shows income of Rs. 60,785/-. No evidence was produced to show the cause of depletion of the income. However, considering the fact that the accident had taken place in the month of February, 2006 and the return has been filed of accounting year ending. Hence, an average income is considered of both the years which could be rounded off at Rs. 71,000/-. 7. The deceased was aged 44 years at the time of the accident and hence, as per the ratio laid down in the case of National Insurance Company Limited vs. Pranay Sethi and Others, (2017) 16 SCC 680 , 25% prospective rise in income has been considered which comes to Rs. 17,750/- on the income as considered of Rs. 71,000/-. Deducting one-third for the personal expenses, considering the dependency of three, deducting Rs. 29,583/- from the total income of Rs. 88,750/- (Rs. 71,000/- + 25% = Rs. 17,750/- = Rs. 88,750/- - Rs. 29,583/- = Rs. 59,167/- applying multiplier of 14, the loss of dependency would come to Rs. 8,28,338/-. 8.
17,750/- on the income as considered of Rs. 71,000/-. Deducting one-third for the personal expenses, considering the dependency of three, deducting Rs. 29,583/- from the total income of Rs. 88,750/- (Rs. 71,000/- + 25% = Rs. 17,750/- = Rs. 88,750/- - Rs. 29,583/- = Rs. 59,167/- applying multiplier of 14, the loss of dependency would come to Rs. 8,28,338/-. 8. In the case of Magma General Insurance Company Limited (supra), it has been observed as under: “8.7 A Constitution Bench of this Court in Pranay Sethi (supra) dealt with the various heads under which compensation is to be awarded in a death case. One of these heads is Loss of Consortium. In legal parlance “consortium” is a compendious term which encompasses ‘spousal consortium’ or ‘parental consortium’ and ‘filial consortium’. The right to consortium would include the company, care, help, comfort, guidance, solace and affection of the deceased, which is a loss to his family. With respect to a spouse, it would include sexual relations with the deceased spouse. [Rajesh and Others vs. Rajbir Singh and Others, (2013) 9 SCC 54 ] Spousal consortium is generally defined as rights pertaining to the relationship of a husband-wife which allows compensation to the surviving spouse for loss of “company, society, co-operation, affection, and aid of the other in every conjugal relation.” BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY (5th Ed. 1979). Parental consortium is granted to the child upon the premature death of a parent, for loss of “parental aid, protection, affection, society, discipline, guidance and training.” Filial consortium is the right of the parents to compensation in the case of an accidental death of a child. An accident leading to the death of a child causes great shock and agony to the parents and family of the deceased. The greatest agony for a parent is to lose their child during their lifetime. Children are valued for their love, affection, companionship and their role in the family unit. Consortium is a special prism reflecting changing norms about the status and worth of actual relationships. Modern jurisdictions world-over have recognized that the value of a child’s consortium far exceeds the economic value of the compensation awarded in the case of the death of a child. Most jurisdictions therefore permit parents to be awarded compensation under loss of consortium on the death of a child.
Modern jurisdictions world-over have recognized that the value of a child’s consortium far exceeds the economic value of the compensation awarded in the case of the death of a child. Most jurisdictions therefore permit parents to be awarded compensation under loss of consortium on the death of a child. The amount awarded to the parents is a compensation for loss of the love, affection, care and companionship of the deceased child. The Motor Vehicles Act is a beneficial legislation aimed at providing relief to the victims or their families, in cases of genuine claims. In case where a parent has lost their minor child, or unmarried son or daughter, the parents are entitled to be awarded loss of consortium under the head of Filial Consortium. Parental Consortium is awarded to children who lose their parents in motor vehicle accidents under the Act.” 9. The dependents are three in number and thus, following the judgment in the case of Magma General Insurance Company Limited (supra), each claimant would receive Rs. 40,000/- and hence, under the head of consortium loss, an amount of Rs. 1,20,000/- has been granted. 10. In accordance to the judgment in the case of Pranay Sethi (supra), an amount of Rs. 15,000/- each for funeral expenses and loss to estate has been granted. Hence, the computation is as under: Loss of dependency Rs. 8,28,338/- Consortium loss Rs. 1,20,000/- Loss to estate Rs. 15,000/- funeral expenses Rs. 15,000/- Total compensation Rs. 9,78,338/- 11. As the Tribunal has granted compensation of Rs. 4,34,000/- with interest at the rate of 9% per annum, the claimants would be entitled to the enhanced amount of compensation of Rs. 5,44,338/- with interest at the rate of 7.5% per annum from the date of filing of the claim petition till its realization. The enhanced amount is directed to be deposited within eight weeks from the date of receipt of writ of this Court. 12. After deposit, let total amount be disbursed to the claimants on verification of the identity in proportion as declared by the Tribunal. 13. The impugned judgment and award be modified accordingly. The appeal is partly allowed. Registry is directed to send the record and proceedings back to the Tribunal, if received.