£2m settlement for cyclist who suffered "traumatic, life-changing brain injury" in collision

A cyclist who suffered a "traumatic, life-changing" brain injury in a collision as he cycled to work back in 2019 has secured a £2m settlement.

Stewarts was instructed following the collision and secured regular interim payments from the defendant's insurer. The law firm now reports that the case was settled for £2m last year, ensuring the cyclist, Martin, is compensated for his injury and it "will allow him to meet his future needs".

Martin was cycling to work near Bridgwater in Somerset in July 2019 when he was involved in a collision, suffering "serious damage to his skull and brain". Having initially been taken by ambulance to a local hospital, the injured rider was then transferred by air ambulance to a major trauma hospital due to the severity of the CT scan results.

He underwent emergency surgery and sustained a traumatic brain injury which has "significantly impacted several aspects of his life". Stewarts reports the injury left him with "substantial physical and cognitive problems", including memory problems, inability to concentrate, fatigue, low mood, impaired sleep, impaired sense of smell and taste, impaired vision, tinnitus, headaches and vertigo.

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The impact of the injuries was stark and has "significantly altered Martin’s self-identity", in that he was unable to return to a working life that he enjoyed, and was previously busy with an active social life, cycling and other physical exercise.

Martin praised his "faultless" lawyers' work to go "above and beyond" and thanked them for getting "the best result". A joint settlement meeting last February did not see a final figure agreed, but the cyclist's lawyers noted it "allowed the parties to bridge the gap", a £2m settlement agreed in March 2024, three months before a court date was scheduled.

"When I first picked up the phone to Stewarts, I had no idea what the claim would entail," he said. "From start to finish, Stewarts have been impeccable and faultless and have gone above and beyond. They work so well together and provide a client with an impeccable team. The journey with Stewarts has been long but smooth and successful. I would highly recommend Stewarts to another person who needs legal guidance in a claim for personal injury."

Stewarts noted the settlement "compensates Martin for his injury and will allow him to meet his future needs."

His rehabilitation has involved a multi-disciplinary team of private therapists specialising in brain injury and the process has been described as "highly complex due to the impact of the traumatic injury on Martin’s cognitive and physical abilities".

Rehabilitation work has involved the expertise of a neurologist, neuro-occupational therapist, neuropsychologist, physiotherapist, neuro-physiotherapist, speech and language therapist, personal trainer and a support worker; Stewarts pleased to report Martin "has returned to some of the activities he previously enjoyed, in particular cycling".

His case manager, Emily Denny, commented: "This was a challenging case for a multitude of factors. Warren [Maxwell, personal injury partner at Stewarts] and his team were a case manager's dream to work with, providing outstanding communication and responsiveness. They provided a calm, clear, collaborative professionalism, which reassured the client and enabled me and the therapy team to do our jobs well. I would absolutely recommend Stewarts to my family, which is always a solid measure of any service."