Lorry Driver Found 'Dishonest' in £2.3m NHS Compensation Claim

A court has ruled that a lorry driver, Nigel Brown, was "fundamentally dishonest" in his £2.3 million claim against the NHS. Mr. Brown alleged that a nine-year delay in diagnosing his spinal condition, ankylosing spondylitis (AS), amounted to clinical negligence by doctors in Liverpool and Southport.

However, NHS investigators found inconsistencies in his claim, revealing that he had worked for a haulage firm during periods he claimed for lost earnings. They also discovered he was banned from driving for a year following a drink-driving conviction in October 2008, a time when he claimed he was unfit to work.

Mr. Brown argued his ex-partner made mistakes in preparing his case and cited memory problems, but Judge Richard Carter concluded he had intentionally misled the court, inflating his claim by over £100,000.

Brown had also claimed that the untreated AS led to the development of fibromyalgia, but the court found no evidence of negligence by the doctors and dismissed his case. He is now liable for the NHS's legal costs.

Helen Vernon, chief executive of NHS Resolution, said the case highlights their commitment to thoroughly investigate and challenge dishonest claims.