Expert Serious Injury Lawyers Back Safety Calls

Two men who were struck by a moped as they cycled in a designated cycle lane on a Majorcan road have called for more to be done to protect vulnerable road users both at home and abroad after their international personal injury lawyers secured an admission of  liability in their claim.

Paul Waller, 53, and Nigel Dennis, 47, were cycling along the MA-2200 highway during a holiday in Majorca in March 2014 when they were both struck from behind by a moped, which was being ridden in the cycle lane.

The moped hit Paul, knocking him from his bike, and causing serious injuries to his lower back and his neck, as well as a number of lacerations and burns from the road, which have left him with permanent scarring.

There was then a subsequent collision with Nigel, who also suffered burns and lacerations, as well as a fracture to his left little finger and a rupture to the ligament in the right thumb, which both required surgery to repair. He also suffered a tear in his left thigh muscle.

Nigel and Paul instructed expert international personal injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the incident and the law firm has now secured an admission of liability from the insurers of the moped driver.

Their lawyers will now be working to secure Nigel and Paul a settlement that will allow them to overcome their injuries and move on with their lives.

Rachael Tucker, an expert international personal injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, representing Nigel and Paul, said: “The injuries Nigel and Paul suffered in this terrible incident in Majorca have had a big impact on their lives and continue to experience the effects of the accident today, more than two years after the collision.

“We have secured an admission of liability from the insurers of the moped rider and are now working to secure a fair settlement for Paul and Nigel that will assist them to access the help and support they will need as a result of their injuries, as well as covering the loss of earnings they faced in the weeks and months after the collision.

“Nigel and Paul are both experienced cyclists and had gone to Majorca on a cycling holiday. They were both wearing helmets and cycling in a designated cycling lane when they were hit. Despite doing everything they could to enjoy their hobby safely, they were still involved in a nasty accident which has had a long lasting impact on them both.

“Cycling holidays are becoming increasing popular amongst Brits, especially as British cyclists such as Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome have enjoyed success in the Tour De France. More however needs to be done both here and abroad to improve the safety of cyclists.

“It is extremely frustrating that this accident occurred when Nigel and Paul were using a cycle lane. These lanes are supposed to help provide protection for cyclists, but they are not sufficient alone to ensure that these vulnerable road users are kept safe. Other road users must remain vigilant and give cyclists sufficient room to manoeuvre.

“The accident in this case could have been a lot more serious for both Nigel and Paul and sadly we continue to see cases where vulnerable road users are injured due to the actions of other road users, both abroad and here in the UK.

“It is vital that further steps are taken to ensure cyclists and other vulnerable road users are protected to try and prevent incidents like this from happening in the future.”

Nigel, a self-employed Film and Cinema Consultant from Windsor was unable to return to work when he arrived back in the UK as a result of his injuries. It took around four months for him to build himself back up to full time work hours and he also lost money on a planned work trip to the USA.

Paul, a sales engineer from Windsor, required physiotherapy for the injury that he sustained to his neck and was reluctant to return to cycling, as he was concerned that he could be involved in another accident.

Nigel and Paul said: “The accident happened completely out of the blue and being hit by a moped was the last thing we expected while using a designated cycle lane. The injuries we suffered have had a huge impact on our day-to-day lives.

“Cycling had been our main hobby for several years before the accident and we were members of a number of local cycling clubs within our community. As a result, we are quite experienced and always sympathetic to all road users.

“This accident could have had far worse consequences for us and we feel like this is an opportunity to speak out about the importance of safety on the roads, both in the UK and abroad. Cyclists are extremely vulnerable and it is vital everything possible is done to protect them while on the roads.

“We are all too aware of incidents where cyclists have not been as lucky as us and we are determined to raise awareness of the importance of safety on the roads.”

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