Concept:A "claim" used in a legal context means an assertion of something as fact, usually without supporting proof.
Explanation:In the sentence, the plaintiff makes a statement that is later shown to be untrue.
This type of statement is best described as an allegation, because an allegation is a formal accusation or assertion that may not yet be proven.
"Contention" refers to a point argued in a dispute, "surmise" means a guess based on little evidence, and "pronouncement" is an official or formal declaration.
Therefore, the word nearest in meaning to "claim" here is "allegation".
Answer:B. allegation