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The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Kannur is the forum for compensation claims arising from road accidents within the district — whether the vehicle involved is a private car, two-wheeler, bus, truck or any other motor vehicle plying on a public road or private premises open to the public.
Who may claim: the legal representatives of a deceased victim; the injured claimant themselves; the legal guardians of a minor; the employer (in case of fatal accidents, for loss of services to the family); and in some cases, the insurer under subrogation.
Key documents: FIR or NCR from the police station having jurisdiction; post-mortem report (death cases); disability certificate from a government hospital (permanent disability cases); medical bills, prescription history and discharge summaries; salary slips and income tax returns for loss of earning calculations; vehicle registration certificate and insurance policy; spot photographs and witness statements.
On the question of quantum — the Second Schedule read with Section 163A MV Act provides structured multipliers for fatal accident cases based on the victim's age and income. Permanent disability claims are computed on a percentage basis using the functional loss. The 2024 amendments tightened the no-fault liability threshold for hit-and-run cases, raising the prescribed compensation. As a MACT practitioner in Kannur, Advocate Aabida K.P. prepares structured claim statements that align medical evidence with income records so the Tribunal can determine compensation without multiple adjournments.
Two practical Kannur-specific tips: (1) issue the statutory claim notice to the insurer at the earliest — insurer delay or denial then becomes a question of evidence at the hearing; (2) if liability is contested (e.g., self-accident, unknown vehicle), plan for Section 166 hearings with clear witness separation — the Tribunal will want consistency across statements.