Absence of repair bills does not defeat a vehicle-damage claim supported by survey evidence.

The appellant owned a motorcycle that was damaged in a collision with a car on 22 February 2018.

He claimed Rs.40,313 for repairs and related expenses, relying on the IMV report, a repair quotation and a survey report.

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs.10,000 as global compensation, principally because repair bills had not been produced.

The appellant appealed against the quantum of compensation under Section 173(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

1. Whether the compensation awarded for damage to the appellant’s motorcycle was inadequate and should be modified

2. What order should follow from the determination of that issue

The appeal was brought under Section 173(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which provides for an appeal from an award of a Claims Tribunal.

The judgment cited no precedent or specific statutory formula for assessing property damage.

Its stated approach was to assess the claimed loss against the evidence of damage and the supporting survey material; the absence of repair bills was not, by itself, a sufficient ground to reject a claim where damage was otherwise established.

The IMV report recorded extensive damage to the motorcycle, and the survey report and quotation provided material for assessing the loss.

Although the appellant had not produced repair bills to prove that he incurred the full amount claimed, the damage was undisputed and the motorcycle required repair before it could be used.

The Court therefore found the Tribunal’s global award of Rs.10,000 inadequate and, having considered the survey report, assessed compensation at Rs.23,313.

The Tribunal’s award was modified, and compensation was fixed at Rs.23,313 instead of Rs.10,000.

The enhanced amount was to carry interest at 6% per annum from the date of the petition until payment, and the insurer was directed to deposit it with accrued interest before the Tribunal within six weeks of receiving the certified judgment.