Collision causes physical and psychological injuries

We were instructed by Richard in respect of a cycling accident that he had suffered on 23rd September 2019. Richard is a Health Club Manager and a keen cyclist. He was riding his brand-new Whyte Glencoe gravel bike to work which is a journey he made frequently by bicycle. As he was proceeding through a roundabout in Grangemouth, a car entered the roundabout and struck him on the left-hand side throwing him on to the road. Richard suffered painful facial injuries including a laceration to his right eyelid, a concussion and also an injury to his shoulder and knee.

Richard got in contact one week following his accident and we were able to intimate his claim to the insurers of the driver of the car that caused the crash. Whilst liability was quickly admitted by the insurers, the severity of Richard’s injuries was becoming more apparent. Whilst he had taken an initial four weeks off work to recover from the worst of his physical injuries, when he returned to work, it was clear that all was not quite right. He had suffered a head injury which meant that he had difficulty focusing and retaining information at work and he needed to take more time off work to recovery fully from his concussion. We were able to arrange for Richard to see an expert Neurologist who confirmed that he had a concussion injury which was the cause of these ongoing symptoms.

On top of this, Richard suffered psychologically after his accident. He was suffering recurring nightmares and was avoiding cycling which had previously been a big part of his life. Again, we were able to arrange for Richard to be reviewed by a Clinical Psychologist who confirmed that he had indeed been suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of his accident and had developed a phobia of cycling.

Knowing that Richard really wanted to return to enjoying cycling, we were able to arrange with the insurers to fund psychological therapy that he needed in order to get him back on the bike. Richard was also still suffering from a niggling knee and shoulder. As he had a physiotherapist whom he had worked with before his injury, we were able to obtain an interim payment to allow him to pay for the treatment with his physiotherapist who was familiar with him.

Of course, Richard’s bike which was only three weeks old at the time of the accident, was written off. Richard had taken out specific cycle insurance for his new bicycle and he made a claim on this insurance for the new cost. However, an excess was deducted together with the full years’ worth of premiums outstanding. We were able to recover this for Richard as part of his case.

Following Richard’s treatment for his physical and psychological injuries, we were delighted to hear that he was able to start cycling again. Once we had full information about the extent of Richard’s injuries, we were able to negotiate a settlement for him which he was very pleased about.

Whilst of course we are keen to get the best possible settlement for our clients, it is also as important to us that their injuries are fully investigated and the right treatment is provided to allow them to make the best recovery from their injuries.

Richard had this to say:

"After being hit by a car and hospitalised while cycling to work in September 2019, I got in touch with CLS. Roz handled my case from the beginning and put me at ease straight away, organising all the necessary appointments required to ensure my recovery and help build my case. Everything went like clockwork and Roz was always in touch, keeping me updated every step of the way. The end result was more than satisfactory, but CLS made sure that I recovered physically and psychologically during the process which was more important to my family and myself. I honestly can't praise the service enough and I think every company needs a Roz."