Yorkshire’s Strongest Man 2023 Pulls a Fast One

Yorkshire’s strongest lifts the trophy – but forced to drop his dishonest claim

Managing General Agent, Markerstudy Insurance Services Limited, and leading legal advisers to the insurance and commercial sectors, HF, have successfully overthrown a blatantly dishonest claim by ‘Yorkshire’s Strongest Man 2023’.

On 15 August 2022, Mr Scott Maw was travelling in a vehicle that was involved in a collision. Mr Maw made a claim to Markerstudy, insurers of the vehicle at fault, alleging various injuries.

Mr Maw was examined in September 2022 and January 2023 still claiming to be injured. He alleged his symptoms were such that he was restricted shopping, carrying out DIY, sleeping and getting in and out of the bath.

Despite these alleged injuries, Mr Maw took part in the Peak District Highland Games less than two weeks after the accident. He was pictured and videoed engaging in gruelling events which involved him pulling an 8-tonne tractor for 1.5minutes, carrying stones weighing 170kg for 50 metres and log pressing 120kg 8 times in a minute!

He was said to still be injured when he then competed in Yorkshire’s Most Powerful in May 2023 featuring similar events, where he finished 4th. Within weeks he competed in Yorkshire’s Strongest Man 2023 – the event consisted of a dumbbell press, super yoke, deadlift, carrying medley and atlas stones – where he was crowned the winner.

Mr Maw tried to blame some of the errors in his symptoms on the medical expert who examined him and one of the handlers at his solicitors. The expert refuted the suggestions, and his solicitors came off the court record.

On behalf of Markerstudy, HF pleaded that Mr Maw was fundamentally dishonest, resulting in him dropping his claim and paying £15,000 in legal costs.

Graeme Mulvoy, Partner, HF said “Where we suspect fraud is taking place, we are relentless in pursuing the truth on behalf of our clients, so that they’re able to provide the best possible service to their customers. This case saw absolutely the right outcome and hopefully it will act as a deterrent to others considering inflating a claim.”

Clare Lunn, Group Head of Fraud at Markerstudy, adds: “This is a clear example that shows dishonesty doesn’t pay. Fraud drives up the cost of insurance premiums for everyone, that’s why Markerstudy takes a tough stance and we will pursue false claims to the very end.”