Road accident claim

19/11/2007

A Mansfield boy has received compensation following a road traffic accident claim after he was thrown from his bike when a car made contact with his wheel.

Fifteen year old Liam Starbuck was just 12 when the accident took place as he cycled along Tennyson Avenue in Mansfield with his friend.

When they reached a junction with a main road they attempted to cross it but a car came over the brow of a hill at speed and clipped the rear wheel of Liam's bicycle, causing him to be thrown onto the bonnet and into the windscreen.

Alicia Townsend from Irwin Mitchell Solicitors who specialises in road traffic accidents represented Liam, she commented: The impact caused Liam a great deal of pain; he sustained serious injuries to his leg and had to be rushed to hospital.

He also sustained multiple superficial abrasions to the head, abrasion of the left elbow and a deep abrasion over the left side of his pelvis.

He was forced to stay off school for a period of 5 weeks and when he did return he was still in his plaster cast and had to use walking aids.  He was unable to resume his hobby of football for a period of time.

Karen Starbuck, Liam's mother said: Children should be safe to ride their bikes without fear that they will get hurt.

Alicia continued: Statistics* show that a child is hurt or killed while walking or cycling every 37 minutes on UK roads and cases such as this are common. As part of Road Safety Week 2007 (5-11 November), Irwin Mitchell is joining forces with road safety charity Brake in it's initiative to call on drivers to LET KIDS LIVE by slowing down to 20mph or below around schools and homes.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a cycling accident, you may be able to claim compensation. See our Road Traffic Accident Claims page for more information.