A BFAWU member who was hit by a car when cycling to work has secured £13,500 in compensation with the support of Thompsons Solicitors and his union’s legal service.

John Priestley was cycling along Watnall Road in his home city of Nottingham, when a car recklessly pulled out from a side road and knocked him off his bicycle. An ambulance was called and John was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham for treatment.

The force of the collision and his subsequent fall caused soft tissue injuries to John’s head, neck, shoulder, knees and lower back. Pre-existing back problems were also exacerbated by the accident and he required several sessions of physiotherapy to aid his recovery. Mr Priestley’s injuries meant he could not return to work for five months and he required six months in total to fully recover.

Following the accident, John contacted his union, the BFAWU, who instructed Thompsons Solicitors to pursue a claim of compensation on his behalf. The driver’s insurers originally offered just £7,500 in compensation to John, but on Thompsons’ advice, this offer was rejected and, following extensive negotiations, Thompsons was able to secure almost double the original sum.

“Very frightening”

John Priestley said: “The accident was very frightening and the injuries affected my day-to-day life for a long time. My injuries were so bad I was unable to work for five months which put emotional and financial strain on me and my family. I cannot thank Thompsons and the BFAWU enough for their support.”

Ronnie Draper, general secretary at BFAWU, said: “While John’s injuries were serious, we could very easily have been dealing with a fatality here. We would like to thank Thompsons for making sure that our member got the maximum compensation.”

Susan Peters at Thompsons Solicitors, who represented Mr Priestley, said: “John’s accident was entirely avoidable and had a detrimental impact on his life, yet the driver’s insurers tried their utmost to dodge the real value of John's injuries and losses.

“The negotiations involved in this case were considerable. We know from the cases we take on that claims companies and the firms they instruct would almost certainly have walked away early, taking the first offer. Thompsons has the experience and determination to fight for the best result.”