London bus operator Metroline has successfully defended a fraudulent ‘crash for cash’ claim for damages and personal injury made against it.
His Honour Judge Roberts dismissed the claim and awarded costs to the operator. He concluded that the claimant deliberately stopped his car in front of a bus with the intention of causing an accident, and that the claimant’s evidence was “a catalogue of lies from beginning to end.”
It was also noted that the claimant has a history of making personal injury claims as a result of collisions.
The incident in question occurred on 20 October 2015 on the A219 in Hammersmith. On-bus CCTV captured the claimant deliberately stopping in front of a Metroline bus, causing a collision between the two vehicles. That footage was supplied to the Police.
Says Metroline Head of Claims David Marriot: “We are pleased with this outcome and we want to send a very clear message that we will challenge all fraudulent claims. Where costs of claim are made in our favour, they will be vigorously enforced.”
Metroline is pursuing other fraudulent cases via the courts, it says.
