A Scunthorpe motorcyclist has received a £50,000 settlement after fracturing his left hip and shattering his right hip and pelvis in a road traffic collision.

The 51-year-old military instructor was commuting into work along the A1077 near Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire, when he approached a queue of slow moving vehicles.

Noting that the opposite lane was clear of oncoming traffic, and there were no visible road signs of a turning that posed a risk to him from the standing traffic or emerging traffic, he started to overtake.

Having started his manoeuvre, a car in the queue, without indication or any warning, pulled out to turn down a narrow side lane. The motorcyclist had no time to brake and collided with the side of the vehicle, landing on top of it and then falling onto the road.

After the accident, he was taken as an emergency to hospital where he was told that he had fractured his left hip, shattered his pelvis and right hip and had also broken his hand. He needed surgery to fuse the fractured pelvis bones together and spent 17 days in hospital recovering. When he was discharged he had to use a wheelchair for six months.

The injured man returned to his job but on light duties, and when the Ministry of Defence (MoD) wanted him to continue with his physical role as a military instructor he decided to leave. He has since taken a role as a lorry driver for North Lincolnshire Council, but needs regular injections to ease the pain in his hip and pelvis. The man contacted road traffic accident specialists, Thompsons Solicitors, to investigate a claim for compensation.

He said: “As soon as I saw the car turn I knew that I was going to crash. It was terrifying to fall straight over the top of the vehicle. “Almost three and a half years after the accident I am in constant pain. Physiotherapy and injections have helped to ease it, but I’m never going to be as mobile as I once was.”

Amanda Dixon, of Thompsons Solicitors, said: “A moment’s lapse of concentration by the driver left our client wheelchair bound and out of work for months. Although he has since found another job, he can’t do physical tasks because of the pain caused by his injuries.

“There was no excuse for the driver to not take their surroundings into account before making the turn out of the queue of traffic. At the time of the accident, visibility was high so our client would have been seen if the motorist had checked their mirrors. By failing to do this, the driver has caused one man to suffer life changing injuries that affect him every day.”