Congleton Couple Marking Road Safety Week

The wife of a retired IT support specialist from Congleton is urging people to stay safe and be more aware of cyclists on the roads after her husband was seriously injured during a cycling holiday to India.

John Jervis sustained a serious head injury as well as spinal injuries, double vision and fractured ribs when he was involved in a head-on collision with a three-wheeled pickup vehicle during the third day of a tour in Nagercoil, India, on 10 February this year.

John, 65, underwent extensive treatment in India before returning to the UK in March where he spent more than five months in hospital.  He has been left with a loss of function to the right side of his body.

Following the accident, John and his wife Jill instructed specialist International Personal Injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the incident and help him gain access to specialist treatment to aid his recovery.

The couple have now joined with their legal team to mark Road Safety Week by highlighting the importance of remaining vigilant and taking care on the roads.

Expert Opinion

“Both John and Jill have been left devastated by the crash and the impact it has had on their lives.

While we continue to investigate what happened and support them through the process, we felt it was important to raise awareness of the potential dangers on the roads, whether in the UK or abroad, as part of this year’s Road Safety Week campaign.

John’s story is a truly tragic one and we hope it will encourage people to be more careful when out and about.”
Cheryl Palmer-Hughes - Partner and Head of our International Serious Injury Desk

John and Jill, a retired fitness and Pilates instructor, have been married for 36 years and have three children.

The couple were on a two-week break to India when John collided with the three-wheeled vehicle, which is believed to have been on the wrong side of the road when the incident occurred.

John’s injuries have led to difficulties with speaking and swallowing, and he faces a long recovery.

Jill said: “Our trip to India was meant to be an opportunity for us to enjoy our retirement.  Instead, it left us wishing we had never gone.

“My poor John now faces a future of uncertainty as he tries to recover from what have been the toughest few months of our lives.

“While nothing will change what has happened, we hope that our experience will urge others to be more aware of cyclists and other vulnerable road users, as we wouldn’t want any other family to suffer the way we have.”

This year’s Road Safety Week, organised by charity Brake, runs from 18 to 24 November.

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in handling serious injury cases