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  "path": "/news/specsavers-sued-lorry-driver-thousands-pounds-job-lost",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-06T18:09:51.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "NHS doctor suspended after posting conspiracy theories claiming Jewish people were behind 9/11",
    "Drivers face annual price hikes for hated Congestion Charge and major London",
    "'Shouting' easyJet crew 'threw' NHS doctor off flight over baggage row",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
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  "textContent": "\n\n\nA lorry driver has sued Specsavers for £200,000 in damages after an eye test saw him lose his job.\n\nFrancis Hodibert, 62, from Slough in Berkshire, was told he had failed a compulsory eye test for HGV drivers in 2022.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nDocuments from the High Court in London detail Mr Hodibert saying his livelihood was taken away after the DVLA revoked his HGV licence due to the failed eye test.\n\nThe lorry driver suffered from depression and anxiety, which he fears may stop him from ever working again.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHGV drivers are required to pass a distance eye test and also, an in-depth assessment of their visual field and peripheral vision, conducted through specialist equipment.\n\nMr Hodibert claims that after taking both tests in 2022 at his local Specsavers in Slough, he was informed he had failed the latter test and consequently, lost his ability to drive a HGV.\n\nHowever, he regained his licence six months later after passing the visual field test, carried out by a consultant ophthalmologist in January 2023.\n\nThe lorry driver claims that in that time, he suffered serious emotional damage.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Hodibert claims the shock of losing his licence in 2022 badly impacted his mental health, causing him financial and personal issues.\n\nIn court papers, his barrister, Michael O'Neill, says: “The defendant is engaged in the provision of professional optical services to the public and in particular of visual field testing, as required by the DVLA for the assessment of fitness to drive heavy goods vehicles.\n\n“On 10th April 2022 and on 21st May 2022, the claimant attended at the defendant's Slough branch to undergo visual field testing for the maintenance of his HGV licence.\n\n“Following such testing, the defendant reported superior field defects, as a consequence of which the claimant's licence was revoked by the DVLA in September 2022.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * NHS doctor suspended after posting conspiracy theories claiming Jewish people were behind 9/11\n  * Drivers face annual price hikes for hated Congestion Charge and major London\n  * 'Shouting' easyJet crew 'threw' NHS doctor off flight over baggage row\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n“The said results were inaccurate and, following separate tests carried out by a consultant ophthalmologist on 25 January 2023, the claimant was able to appeal the revocation of his licence and the same was reinstated following the provision of a new eyesight certificate on 31 March 2023.\n\n“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.'”\n\nMr O’Neill accused the high-street opticians of “negligence” as their staff produced “false results” and submitted an “inaccurate report to the DVLA”.\n\nHe said: “Because of all this the claimant has suffered personal injury, loss and damage.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n“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.”\n\nIt is “uncertain” whether Mr Hodibert will make a recovery to work again, Mr O’Neill said.\n\nThe lawyer also said that a doctor examined the lorry driver, who submitted a medical report to the court which backed the claim for “damages exceeding £200,000.”\n\nA spokeswoman from Specsavers said the opticians will be \"fully defending this claim\".\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Lorry driver sues Specsavers for £200k after eye test saw him lose his job"
}