Three women taxi passengers, who were injured in what was described as "a minor" rear-ending accident, were removed from the taxi on special spinal stretchers, a judge heard yesterday.
Circuit Court President Mr Justice Esmond Smyth was told the three women left Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, after "a couple of hours" after having been examined and given pain killers.
Taxi-driver Mr Peter O'Melia, Station Cabs, Railway Street, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, told his counsel, Mr Declan Buckley, he believed the accident had been "a set up".
Judge Smyth said he would not decide on the case until he had seen the hospital records relating to the three women who are, between them, claiming damages of €114,000 against Mr O'Melia and the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland.
A claim for €38,000 damages in each case is being made by Ms Kathleen Maughan, and her sisters-in-law Ms Mary Maughan and Ms Margaret Maughan, with addresses at Garden Hill Halting Site, Balbriggan, Co Dublin.
They claimed they were shocked and suffered lower back injuries when a Northern Ireland-registered red Ford car crashed into the back of Mr O'Melia's taxi. Three ambulances were called to the scene at a roundabout on the Swords-Belfast road, and each was professionally secured on hard spinal stretchers before being removed from the taxi.
Each of the Maughans said they had seen a red car speed past the taxi immediately after the impact.
Mr O'Melia told Mr Buckley the women were "placid" when he stepped out of his taxi to investigate what he described as a minor collision. There had been a Northern Ireland-registered white van stopped several car lengths behind him.
He spoke to the driver, Mr Thomas Murphy, a Traveller, who gave his address at an Armagh city halting site. Mr Murphy had told him he had seen a red Ford strike the taxi and then speed off.
Mr O'Melia, who claimed he had no recollection of having seen a red car, said when he returned to his taxi the three women were "wailing and screaming".
A garda who investigated the accident said the PSNI had been unable to trace any Thomas Murphy or the van at the Armagh halting site.
Mr Buckley, who appeared for both Mr O'Melia and the MIBI, said he had pleaded fraudulent intent on his client's instructions.
Judge Smyth adjourned the case, and directed the production of hospital records.