Punjab and Haryana High Court summons insurance firm chief over ‘irresponsible’ conduct of officials
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Saurabh Malik
Chandigarh, July 20
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today summoned the Chairman of Oriental Insurance Company Limited following “irresponsible conduct” of its officials. The Chairman has been asked to remain present in person on the next date of hearing in August first week.
The direction by Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan came in a case where the claimant/appellant required plastic surgery for disfigurement of his face after suffering an injury as a minor. But the insurance company officers appearing before a Lok Adalat ruled out amicable settlement in such matters.
As the appeal came up for hearing, Justice Sangwan took note of the fact the case was taken up before the Daily Lok Adalat on August 8, 2018, for amicable settlement. The adalat, among other things, observed that the claimant, who suffered disfigurement of the face, was present before it. He stated that he was unable to close his right eye and had also suffered serious injury from the right elbow of the shoulder.
His counsel stated that the claimant required Rs 2,44,000 for plastic surgery as recommended by a hospital in Mohali. But he had not been granted any amount by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal hearing his matter for the disfigurement.
The adalat had added that the proposal put forward by the counsel for the claimant appeared to be justified. But the officers of the respondent-insurance company had bluntly stated that “in such type of cases amicable settlement is not possible”.
“Looking at the irresponsible conduct of the officials of the insurance company, it is directed that the Chairman, Oriental Insurance Company Ltd, New Delhi, will remain present in person before this court on the next date of hearing,” Justice Sangwan asserted.
The matter was brought to the High Court’s notice in 2016 with the appellant/claimant seeking the enhancement of compensation. The Bench, hearing the matter then, was told that the appellant/claimant also required continuous medical checkup and healthcare. But the tribunal neither awarded compensation for future medical expenses, nor for the plastic surgery. The amount awarded under the other conventional heads was also meagre. The matter was placed before the Lok Adalat in August 2018 and came up for hearing twice the same year. It was eventually put up before Justice Sangwan for the first time in March this year.
Had ruled out amicable settlement
The direction by Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan came in a case where the claimant/appellant required plastic surgery for disfigurement of his face after suffering an injury as a minor. But the insurance company officers appearing before a Lok Adalat ruled out amicable settlement in such matters.
via Punjabi Media