- Pier fall woman awarded £600k, labeled “thoroughly dishonest”
- Judge dismisses claim due to woman’s deceitful behavior
- Accident caused brain damage; plaintiff found dishonest in trial
On July 21, 2018, Kirsty Williams-Henry fell from Aberavon Pier, located near Port Talbot. The pier owners were effectively sued for damages, but the firm maintained her claim of dishonesty.
A woman who fell from a pier was awarded nearly £600,000 in damages but was deemed “thoroughly dishonest” by a judge.
On July 21, 2018, Kirsty Williams-Henry suffered multiple injuries after a fall from Aberavon Pier in the vicinity of Port Talbot.
The proprietor of the pier, Associated British Ports Holdings Ltd, was sued for damages.
Due to her dishonesty, the company argued that her claim should be dismissed.
Wednesday, Mr Justice Ritchie, a High Court judge, rendered a decision stating that he would have awarded £596,704 in damages to Ms Williams-Henry.
However, he disregarded her assertion because she was a “regular liar.”
The judge stated that her accident caused her to sustain “moderately severe” brain damage as one of her “genuine” injuries.
“Deceitful and manipulative”
The judge further stated that Ms Williams-Henry, a resident of Port Talbot, had consumed alcohol during her visit to the pier after reports of bioluminescent plankton sightings.
On her way back to the shore, she plummeted four to five metres onto rocky terrain and beach.
Ms Williams-Henry testified at a trial in Cardiff last month that she experienced “good days and bad days” as a consequence of her denial that she ever lied about her injuries.
She filed suit against the proprietors of the pier in 2021, seeking damages over £2.3 million.
The firm maintained that she was only entitled to £370,000, but argued that her claim should be dismissed for misrepresenting the severity of her injuries.
In his assessment, Mr Justice Ritchie concluded that Ms Williams-Henry was “dishonest and manipulative” on the whole.
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He stated that she had provided “significant exaggerations and some lies” to the court and medical experts in his 99-page ruling. Even though she had been employed by the insurance company Admiral until last year, he discovered that she had lied on insurance and benefits forms as well.
I have reached the determination that the claimant and her mother have engaged in a complete and blatant act of deceit by misrepresenting the claimant’s disabilities and symptoms to clinicians, medicolegal experts, and this court regarding the claimant’s health, functioning, activities of daily living, and employment capabilities,” he stated.
“Some of the least impressive that I have ever heard” was how he further described certain portions of her testimony.
Although it may seem like a significant amount of money to withhold from an individual who is truly injured,… He stated that the claimant has violated this law, which was intended to eradicate dishonesty, which is fundamental in personal injury claims, as intended by parliament.
