Following the death of a champion boxer last week, his family could make a motor accident compensation claim, as the damage caused by cycling accidents is at the forefront of peoples’ minds.
The incident happened in Wallington, South London when the cyclist was involved with a collision with a white Vauxhall van. The van driver has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has been bailed pending further inquiries.
Police are now appealing for witnesses for the 6.15am crash, but the investigating officer doesn’t believe that the time will mean that the accident went unseen.
DS John Hartfree of the Metropolitan Police, commented that "although the collision occurred very early in the morning, there would have been other people in the area who may have witnessed the collision."
A post-mortem has since confirmed that the 48-year-old victim died of multiple injuries resulting from the incident, which could help the family claim motor accident compensation if the driver is convicted.
Cycling accidents affect their victims in differing ways – fellow sportsman James Cracknell suffered a broken skull and bleeding on the brain after being hit by a lorry as he rode his bike across America last year.
The double Olympic gold medallist now suffers from a short temper, loses track of time and struggles to recognise people he knows.
He told the Telegraph that "the truck’s wing mirror hit [him] on the back of the head. Enough impact was absorbed by the helmet to leave [him] with ‘only’ two skull fractures, a head full of staples and bleeding to the frontal lobes of the brain – the area that controls personality, concentration, motivation, planning and decision-making."
Such cycling accidents have led to campaigners calling for bike riders to be offered greater protection on the roads, in order to reduce the number of deaths and injuries.
Debra Rolfe from the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) remarks that "there are a lot of areas where the law frequently does let down cyclists – whether at the level of the police failing to collect enough evidence to the CPS not prosecuting or the courts often convicting to a lesser offence."
QC Martin Porter agrees, adding that "judges should be handing down stiffer sentences and prosecutors should be more ambitious in the choice of charges and the decision to prosecute."
Reported by Bryony Flack-Crane
Call 0800 092 8586
Speak to one of our claims advisors about your claim.
