Cage fighter caught cold with £8,000 fine for dishonest whiplash claim

A professional cage fighter has been dealt a deadly blow to the ribs after being found guilty of making a dishonest injury claim.

Jake Bostwick, nicknamed ‘Brutal Bostwick,’ claimed to have suffered severe neck pain in a car accident on 15 June 2015.

He also said to his claim’s medical expert that he had been severely restricted in his ability to lift items, sleep, or care for himself because of the accident.

His insurer, Aviva, became suspicious after the crash and handed the claim over to its counter-fraud solicitors, DAC Beachcroft.

They found he was a regular cage fighter in the ‘Cage Warriors Fighting Championship’, ‘Ultimate Challenge MMA’ and ‘Warrior Fight Series’.

Mr Bostwick had fought professionally 22 days prior to the accident and then reported in an interview, less than 1 month after his medical expert appointment, that he believed he had sustained a broken jaw, possible broken arm, a busted shin and was almost knocked out twice in the fight.

But the haymaker was dealt after he claimed that he had been unable to attend the gym, but a video was identified on his social media, 10 weeks into his supposed 6-month severe neck injury, which showed that he was able to flip a 25KG weight into the air.

Mr Bostwick discontinued his personal injury claims just weeks after the evidence against him was presented to his solicitor.

On 18 October 2017, District Judge Jackson concluded Bostwick had made a dishonest personal injury claim and ruled it to be Fundamentally Dishonest. The Judge ordered the Claimant to pay Aviva’s costs of more than £7,900.

An Aviva spokesperson said: “Aviva has a zero-tolerance approach to fraudulent claims and will always take the fight to those who are Fundamentally Dishonest.

“Justice has been done.”