Hyderabad: The city civil court, under the motor accidents claim, has awarded a compensation of 15.64 lakh to the family of a 31-year-old man who died in a road accident at Amberpet in Dec 2019.The deceased, John Kennedy Thomas Tylon, was fatally hit by a car while crossing the road near Govind Medical Hall at Kakatiya Nagar Lane late on Dec 3, 2019. He died on the spot. The car was owned by a city-based tours and travel agency.Tylon, who worked at a printing press, was the sole breadwinner of his family. He is survived by his wife, Arokya Swamy Denis Agnes Thavamani, and two minor daughters. His parents also claimed dependency on his income. The family sought compensation, citing his monthly earnings of 17,500.During the proceedings, the insurance company denied liability, questioning the income of the deceased and alleging contributory negligence. The court examined evidence, including the FIR, chargesheet, inquest, post-mortem report, and accident report. Witnesses testified that the accident was caused by the rash and negligent driving of the car driver, Ranga Sai Krishna.The court held that the accident was primarily caused by the driver’s negligence, but also attributed 25% contributory negligence to the victim for crossing the road without adequate caution at midnight. Accordingly, the compensation was reduced by one-fourth.In the absence of documentary proof, the court fixed the victim’s monthly income at 10,000 and added 40% towards future prospects. Calculating the loss of dependency at 20.16 lakh, the court determined the final compensation at 15,64,500 after deductions for contributory negligence.The compensation will be shared among the wife, children, and parents of the deceased. The court directed the insurance company, along with the vehicle owner and driver, to jointly and severally pay the amount with 7.5% annual interest within one month. A portion of the minors’ share will be deposited in fixed deposits until they attain majority.
