Summary: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed C. Mathivanan's compensation claim, deciding he was at fault for the accident and did not have a valid driving license.
On August 29, 2003, C. Mathivanan was involved in a road accident while riding a motorcycle. The accident occurred when Mathivanan's vehicle allegedly collided with another vehicle. Initially, Mathivanan claimed he was a passenger, but evidence suggested otherwise.
The case, initially ruled in favor of Mathivanan by the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal in Tenkasi, awarded him compensation. However, the National Insurance Company challenged this decision, arguing that Mathivanan was the one at fault.
Conflicting Statements: Mathivanan first said someone else was driving the vehicle. However, documents like the police report and accident records showed Mathivanan was the driver.
Witness Accounts: Eyewitnesses confirmed that Mathivanan was driving carelessly.
License Issue: Mathivanan admitted during questioning that he did not have a valid driving license at the time of the accident.
Justice R. Poornima looked at all the evidence and decided that Mathivanan was driving carelessly without a valid license. The court found that Mathivanan's actions broke the rules, making him ineligible for compensation.
The appeal by the National Insurance Company was accepted, and the previous compensation award was canceled.
