Bogus whiplash claim thwarted by dash-cam
A haulage firm avoided an expensive £75,000 whiplash claim against it when an on-board camera proved that a car full of scammers deliberately traversed three lanes of the M25 and slammed on the brakes to ensure the lorry rear-ended the car.
All four occupants of the Ford Galaxy that was struck by the HGV made serious whiplash claims against the haulage firm, but claims were dismissed when evidence from the on board camera showed the Galaxy deliberately swapped lanes and collided with the lorry that hadn't left the inside lane.
Simon Marsh, managing director of Smart Witness, the company that made the on-board camera, told TRL: "Bogus whiplash claims are a real problem. This new video perfectly illustrates the problems responsible motorists face."
He added: "This new video perfectly illustrates the problems responsible motorists face. The lorry driver was travelling well within the speed limit when the people carrier swerved directly in front of him to avoid hitting another car in the fast lane.
"The haulier was very surprised to be on the receiving end of four whiplash claims for £75 000. Drivers can often feel like they are on shakey ground when they go into the back of another vehicle, particularly if there are no reliable witnesses to explain what happened."
According to UK official figures, up to 60 per cent of the 550,000 whiplash claims made in the UK each year are bogus.
