The Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) in Panchkula has awarded a compensation of ₹30,01,238 to a 24-year-old road accident survivor, Raj Pal. The tribunal mandated that the award be paid with an annual interest of 7.5%, calculated from the date the petition was filed in March 2021 until the final realisation of the amount.

The case dates back to the evening of September 21, 2020, when Raj Pal and a friend were standing with their motorcycle at Majri Chowk. According to the petition, a truck driven by Dinesh Kumar Meena approached from the wrong side at high speed and in a negligent manner. The vehicle struck the duo, and the truck’s tires ran over Raj Pal’s legs and hips, causing catastrophic injuries.

The medical reports submitted to the tribunal detailed the severity of the victim’s condition. Raj Pal suffered a Grade 3B open fracture of the right femur, a fractured acetabulum (hip socket), and a “mangled” left lower limb. He also sustained a Grade 4 peritoneal injury and extensive “degloving” of his right thigh. After nearly two months of hospitalisation at PGI Chandigarh, the young labourer was left with a permanent disability, rendering him dependent on his elderly parents.

While an FIR was registered at the Sector-5 police station under Sections 279, 337, and 427 of the IPC, the legal proceedings saw the truck driver and the owner, Ratan Lal Chaudhary, proceed ex-parte. The insurance provider, Oriental Insurance, attempted to distance itself from the claim, arguing that the vehicle was not insured with them at the time of the accident. In its order dated December 16, the tribunal held the driver and the owner jointly and severally liable to pay the compensation.