Probe after GP got £120k from sick bug claims
SCORES of holiday sickness compensation cases have been put on hold after suspicions were raised in court over a doctor who has made £120,000 writing reports supporting food poisoning claims by tourists.
About 70 cases involving Dr Zuber Bux have been suspended over fears of a conflict of interest as his wife is a partner at AMS, the law firm that instructed him in some claims.
The intervention by Judge Peter Gregory comes ahead of the Government clamping down on bogus holiday sickness claims. From tomorrow there will be a cap on solicitors’ costs in cases, making claims less attractive to law firms.
In the case of two holidaymakers who claim they fell ill while on a Thomas Cook holiday in Spain, Liverpool county court heard that tour operators defending claims were kept in the dark about the relationship between Dr Bux, 47, and Mrs Bux, 42. Over the past two years Dr Bux has prepared 684 holiday sickness reports for medical legal agency MLLS, earning him £123,120.
Thomas Cook barrister Ian Denham told the court Dr Bux’s reports followed ‘the same template and come to the same conclusion’ – that claimants had suffered stomach bugs.
Dr Bux denied omitting details from his reports.
A judge will decide if Dr Bux’s evidence is admissible, based on if there was a breach of conflict of interest rules. Dr Bux and his wife deny any wrongdoing.