Stockport, United Kingdom (16th August 2010) – The recent serious injuries suffered by ex-Olympic rower James Cracknell whilst filming a TV series in the USA highlights both the inherent danger of cycling and the life-saving potential of wearing a helmet.
James was cycling along a country road in Arizona when he was hit by a truck and sustained serious head injuries including a fractured skull, a gash to the back of his head, and bruising to his brain. Thankfully he appears to be making a good recovery in a neuro-trauma ward at a hospital in Phoenix; however, his recovery is expected to take six months.
“Unfortunately road accidents involving cyclists are all too common in the UK as well as abroad, however careful and experienced the cyclist is,” commented Nigel Barrowcliff of claimssolicitors.co.uk specialists in spinal and brain injury litigation. It seems that Mr. Cracknell was hit from the rear by a lorry knocking him to the ground. Wearing a cycle helmet reportedly saved his life or at least it appears to have reduced the severity of the injury. ”It is interesting that calls for the compulsory wearing of cycle helmets are often countered by arguments that helmets aren’t necessarily effective in serious accidents and encourage a sense of overconfidence disproportionate to the level of protection. Whether or not legislation is necessary, examples like this case demonstrate the potential benefits to cyclists of wearing helmets. Our experience of acting for injured cyclists leads us to lend support to any move that will encourage cyclists to wear an appropriate and well-fitting helmet at all times.
Our emphasis here is to ensure the victim is rehabilitated so they can return to their normal life as soon as possible in addition to helping them with the recovery of financial compensation in the longer term.”
www.claimssolicitors.co.uk is the online presence of Davies and Company Solicitors of Stockport a specialist firm of solicitors that was established in 1998 and has a successful track record in handling brain and other serious injury claims.
About ClaimsSolicitors:
ClaimsSolicitors, the online division of Davies and Company, is a specialist firm of personal injury solicitors. The firm is a member of APIL (Association of Personal Injury Solicitors), MASS (Motor Accident Solicitors Society), and PEOPLE (Pan-European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers), and has a solicitor on the Solicitors Regulation Authority Personal Injury Panel.
Contact:
Claims Solicitors
Central House
17 Grand Central Square
Stockport
SK1 3TA
0800 731 7923
claims@claimssolicitors.co.uk
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