Video shows claimant faking fall before making fraudulent injury claim

Fraudulent fall

CCTV footage of a chef staging a fall to make a bogus personal injury claim led to her conviction for fraud by false representation.

Anita Quansah-Okoe, 52, from London was today sentenced to 80 hours community service and ordered to pay £500 costs.

Two years ago, while working as a chef at Lambeth College, Quansah-Okoe claimed she slipped over on a wet canteen floor and suffered multiple injuries.

She took three weeks off work and had six sessions of physiotherapy.

Quansah-Okoe’s solicitors sent a personal injury claims letter to the college who passed it onto their insurers Zurich along with CCTV footage.

The letter stated that she slipped and landed on her right side and only realised the floor was wet when she saw that her dress was damp and that there was no ‘wet floor’ signs in place.

Her solicitors alleged that she had sustained soft tissue injuries to her right shoulder, wrist, leg, foot and back and damage to her front teeth.

On viewing the CCTV footage, the Zurich claims handler concluded that the claim was fraudulent, and the case was referred to the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED).

“The CCTV clearly shows how deliberate and premeditated Quansah-Okoe was in staging this fall,” Detective Inspector Oliver Little from IFED said.

“Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime and fraud is estimated to cost every policy holder an extra £50 on their premiums,” he added.

To say Miss Quansah-Okoe exhibited bare faced cheek in pursuing this claim feels like an understatement,” said Zurich claims fraud and investigations manager Scott Clayton.

“As the CCTV footage plainly demonstrates, she shamelessly fabricated a fall in the vain attempt to claim money she was not entitled to.”