Upholds Karnataka High Court Order Denying ₹80 Lakh Compensation to Family of Deceased Driver in 2014 Car Crash
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has ruled that insurance companies are not liable to pay compensation in cases where a person dies due to their own reckless and negligent driving. The court dismissed a plea filed by the family of a man who died in a self-caused car accident in Karnataka in 2014, reaffirming the principle that violations of traffic norms nullify insurance claims in such cases.
A bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and R. Mahadevan refused to grant the ₹80 lakh compensation sought by the wife, son, and parents of the deceased, N.S. Ravish, who died after allegedly driving his car at high speed and losing control.
“We are not inclined to interfere with the judgment given by the High Court. Therefore, the special leave application is dismissed,”
– Supreme Court Bench Order, July 3
The incident took place on June 18, 2014, when Ravish was travelling from Mallasandra village to Arasikere town along with his family. According to the court, Ravish was driving negligently and violated traffic rules, leading to the vehicle overturning and causing his death.
The Karnataka High Court, in its earlier order dated November 23, 2023, had dismissed the compensation claim, stating that the accident was self-inflicted and resulted from gross negligence.
"Since the accident occurred due to the speeding and negligent driving of the deceased, and he committed self-inflicted injury, the legal heirs cannot get any compensation for his death,"
– Karnataka High Court Observation
The courts emphasised that allowing such claims would effectively mean rewarding a person for violating the law, which would set a dangerous precedent.
The ruling has sparked discussion on the importance of accountability and adherence to traffic laws, especially in cases involving insurance claims.
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