A Brighton taxi driver who took Brighton & Hove Buses to court after colliding with a bus on Lewes Road has been forced to pay all the costs of the court case after his claim was found to be fundamentally dishonest.
Jimi Wilson Habashi claimed his whiplash injury and damaged car were caused by the bus driver veering into his lane when he moved off from a stationary position at the Lewes Road junction Bear Road traffic lights in June 2016.
However, CCTV footage from the bus was used in evidence and proved it was the other way around. The court also heard Mr Habashi, who was relying on a report from a medical expert to prove his injuries, had not disclosed a series of previous personal injury claims at the time.
Brighton & Hove Buses’ Manager, Ed Knight, said: “It’s a shame the court’s time as well as that of my colleagues was wasted in this way. It’s a bit of a surprise to us that anyone thinks they can get away with such a false claim when our buses are equipped with CCTV.
“We also investigate all incidents thoroughly. This judgement shows that dishonesty does not pay.”
The case was dismissed by the judge at Hastings County Court yesterday on February 28 and the claim found to be fundamentally dishonest. The claimant was ordered to pay all the court’s costs, a total of £6,800.
