‘Legalise online accident documents’

Justice PN Prakash, on lauding the efforts taken by SCRB, said, “One fervently hopes that all the stakeholders would take full advantage of what is on offer for the lasting benefit of the community of motor accidents victims, to seek early closure of their claims for just compensation and to come out of a traumatized event and circumstances, as early as possible and possibly rid the jurisdiction of the pernicious practice of false and fabricated motor accidents claims and falsification of records.”

The judge in his order, on observing that the online platform is running well and the stakeholders are by and large satisfied, said, “Insurance companies appear to be the largest beneficiaries in having DAR (Detailed Accident Report) regime documentation on their tables at the click of a key and it is only but fair that they use it not to their advantage exclusively but be forthcoming to try and compromise as many accidents claims as possible to ease the pressure on the existing pendency.” 

The online platform would send a onetime password to the accident victim who can download authenticated documents with watermark. They can be produced in court as evidence in support of the claim at a very nominal cost. 

Hailing the new system, advocate Vijayaraghavan Narasimhan said, “This system is expected to stall the existing practice of victims being traded as commodities to pursue claim for compensation by ambulance chasers. Since the victims would have direct access to all necessary documents to file a claim for compensation, it will rid the jurisdiction of false claims and falsification of records as independent police investigation based documents would be uploaded on the official portal.” 

The process of creating the online platform began with a plea being filed by Cholamandalam General Insurance Co. Ltd, seeking the Cuddalore police and CB-CID to reinvestigate an accident case alleging fraud and fabrication in a motor accident claim by falsely implicating the vehicle insured with it.