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A licensed lorry driver is suing Specsavers for more than £200,000, alleging that a “botched” eye test not only cost him his livelihood but also plunged him into severe depression.
Francis Hodibert, from Slough, Berkshire, claims he became so anxious and depressed after failing a mandatory HGV driver’s eye test at his local Specsavers branch in 2022 that he now fears he may never be able to work again.
The 62-year-old’s legal action claims that the optician’s alleged negligence led directly to his professional and personal distress.
Commercial vehicle drivers are required by the DVLA to pass not only a standard distance eyesight test, but also an in-depth assessment of their visual field and peripheral vision, conducted with specialised equipment.
Mr Hodibert says, in documents lodged with London’s High Court, that following two such tests at Specsavers in 2022, he was informed he had failed the visual field examination.
This alleged failure led to the DVLA revoking his HGV licence, thereby stripping him of his ability to work as a trucker.
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Francis Hodibert failed two eye tests in 2022 (Champion News)
Mr Hodibert successfully regained his licence six months later, in January 2023, after passing a subsequent visual field test administered by a consultant ophthalmologist, but claims, serious emotional damage had already been done.
He argues that his earlier failures were caused by mistakes made by Specsavers staff which had a huge impact on his work and personal life.
Specsavers is set to deny his claims and defend the action.
Michael O’Neill, Mr Hodibert’s barrister, said the Specsaver results were “inaccurate” and, following separate tests carried out on 25 January 2023, his client was able to appeal the revocation of his licence, which was reinstated on 31 March 2023.
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Specsavers says it will defend the action (Champion News)
Mr O’Neill told the court: “The obtaining and reporting of the said inaccurate results and the consequent revocation of the claimant’s HGV licence were caused by the negligence of the defendant, its servants or agents.”
He went on to accuse Specsavers staff of “carrying out their field of vision tests so as to produce false results” and “submitting an inaccurate report to the DVLA”.
“Because of all this the claimant has suffered personal injury, loss and damage,” Mr O’Neil said, adding that Mr Hodibert has “developed a worsening mixed depression and anxiety disorder as a result of the matters herein complained of”.
“His condition is such that he is unable to work as an HGV driver, or at all, and his personal and domestic life has been substantially disrupted,” the barrister explained.
“It is uncertain that he will ever make a sufficient recovery to work again.”
The barrister added that Mr Hodibert says he has been examined by a doctor who has submitted a medical report to the court backing up his claim for “damages exceeding £200,000”.
Specsavers’ defence to the action was not available from the court at the time of writing.
However, when approached for a comment a spokesperson for the company said the action would be defended.
