Our client James Grove* was severely injured after being knocked off his bicycle on the Vastern Road roundabout in Reading last year. He has now joined other injured cyclists and lawyer Laura Magson in calling for road safety improvements to be made. After food shopping with his father, James left Tesco’s on Napier Road to cycle home. He had safely negotiated most of the Vastern Road roundabout in busy traffic and was signaling to turn right over Reading Bridge when he was knocked from his bike and onto the road by a car that failed to give way as it entered the roundabout. The car hit 19-year-old James’ left knee, flipping him over the car and onto the road. He landed on his left hand and then backside. As a result, he fractured his spine and dominant left wrist as well as sustaining a soft tissue injury to his knee, requiring hospital admission for two days. The former Highdown student had been pursuing an acting career in the break between sixth form and University but has had to turn down roles he would have been able to play previously due to the continued pain he suffers. James has also found that his wrist injuries have restricted his role in a local band, Before the Breakdown, as playing large chords causes severe pain in his wrist and due to his spinal fracture he is unable to be the energetic front man he once was. James contacted Boyes Turner’s specialist cycle accident solicitors a month after the incident and was visited at home by Laura Magson who took on his case. Five months on James had recovered from most of his injuries however he was told his spinal fracture will never fully heal and so he has had to adjust his life and plans accordingly. Seven months after first contacting Boyes Turner, James’s case has been settled for a 5 figure sum. James says: “The accident itself was horrible as were the injuries I suffered immediately but the biggest frustration is not being able to just get on with my life. My acting ambitions and my music have all been affected by something which wasn’t my fault. “However, when you then find out that you’re not the only person who has been injured at this roundabout, it’s even more frustrating, especially when you see more accidents like the recent one. I don’t want to see anyone else go through what I have gone through.” Laura said: “Nobody expects to set off one morning or one afternoon and end up in hospital later that day. It is certainly not what James expected and he has of course suffered significant injuries including a fractured vertebrae. He is 19 years old and he should be living his life as any 19 year old would. My priority was of course to assist James and I am pleased that his case was settled so promptly. His quality of life has of course been affected certainly in the short term and perhaps in the long term. Clearly though road safety experts do need to get their heads together to look at this problem urgently. We have represented two people that have contacted us which of course is unusual for accidents at the same spot. We do not want any more calls from anyone else. On further research we can see that there have been eighteen incidents in about three years (all cycle injuries).” If you or a member of your family have been seriously injured in a road traffic accident, contact our specialist personal injury lawyer by email at personalinjury@boyesturner.com. *Client names have been changed
