A former teacher has secured £13,000 in compensation after she suffered serious injuries after being knocked off her bike by a driver who opened their car door on her as she was cycling to work.
Kate Jones, a National Education Union (NEU) member, was commuting to her teaching job in Portsmouth in 2023 when she was knocked off her bike when the door of a parked car opened in her path.
The incident caused her to suffer both mental and physical injuries, including a concussive head injury. Ms Jones was forced to take time off work and suffered memory loss and frequent migraines. Previously a keen road cyclist, riding her bike daily, she has not returned to cycling since the accident.
As an NEU member, Ms Jones could access legal representation from personal injury experts Thompsons Solicitors through her union membership.
Thompsons Solicitors secured an admission of liability for the incident early on, allowing them to focus on obtaining medical and other evidence.
Despite the car driver’s insurer attempting to settle the claim for a lower amount, Ms Jones secured a settlement of £13,000.
Ms Jones praised her lawyer, Matthew Nutt, from the personal injury team at Thompsons. She said, “Matt’s advice throughout was excellent. He was very patient, understanding, and good at explaining things, especially timelines and how to get the best outcome in my situation. What could have been a stressful situation wasn’t because of his support.”
Matthew Nutt said, “Kate showed great strength in facing the aftermath of this traumatic incident. We’re proud to have helped her achieve a fair settlement and to have supported her through each stage of the process.”
"This incident could have been much more severe. Cyclists have died from collisions caused by opening car doors into their paths, leading to crashes involving other traffic. We urge all road users to exercise caution and pay special attention to vulnerable road users."