Asons Solicitors, a defunct medico-legal firm, has been found liable for making a fraudulent claim by impersonating a client without their knowledge.
The case was brought by insurer First Central, represented by specialist law firm HF. According to HF, the claim by Asons came after a road traffic accident in October 2014. This claim included a medical report prepared by Dr Michaela Coman, a GP expert instructed by Asons via TMT Medicals.
In a strikingly similar scenario. Haroon Karim, a former director of TMT Medicals, was sentenced to jail time in 2019 for his role in advancing a claim, again via Asons Solicitors, in the name of a man who had no knowledge of the proceedings, HF said.
The supposed claimant did not engage with the litigation, which led to HF securing a costs order against him for around £8,000. However, when HF pursued him for the payment, the claimant revealed that he had no knowledge of the claim and that he was not even involved in an accident.
After the supposed claimant proved that he had nothing to do with the incident, First Central and AF pursued Asons, Coman and Karim for wasted costs of around £30,000.
“Insurers and the public must have trust in those representing claimants,” said Alex Wilkinson, partner at HF. “Asons Solicitors have been shown time and again to have singularly failed in establishing that trust. Haroon Karim, too, is someone who I have tackled before in respect of his dishonest conduct. Their actions, and the actions of Dr Coman in not carrying out her duties to the required standard, cast a stain over the whole industry. First Central’s decision to tackle this shoddy practice will, I hope, send a message that, if claims are advanced dishonestly, then those responsible – including the ‘professionals’ running the claim – should expect to face punishment.”
“We are committed to properly compensating those who have genuine claims arising out of road traffic accidents,” said Paul Priestley, counter fraud director at First Central. “We vigorously investigate potential dishonesty, and it is a disappointing facet of the current claims industry that those investigations too often end up with dishonesty being found on the part of a claimant’s representatives. I am pleased we have been able to send out a message to the industry that standards must be better and demonstrated our willingness to take action against enablers when appropriate.”
