Broken neck and back

[Keith Oates]

Sounds horrible Martin and I hope the pain is small and the recovery quick. The posts above regarding taking the Doctors advice is something to follow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Yellow Fang]

I am just wondering if any other members have fractured their neck and/or back and what recovery time they had before cycling again?
Last Saturday a car pulled out on me while I was doing about 30mph. I have no recollection of the accident, but looking at my helmet and the injuries I recieved and from what I have been told by the police, it looks as though I have hit the door pillar with the top/left side of my head and then gone through the drivers window. I suffered a fracture in my neck (T1) and in my back (C6 and 7) I am now out of hospital and in a neck brace for 6-8 weeks. I have various cuts and bruises but I am not worried about them, they will heal quickly enough. I am generally quite fit 42 year old and I have been told that may help me heal a little quicker than most, but what sort of time will I bee off the bike and any tips for getting back quicker?

Wouldn't worry about it for a while. You can get your fitness back. Don't be too eager.

 

[Katherine]

Keep your mind occupied and focus on the healing. Best wishes for a full recovery.

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

Thanks for all the good wishes.
Its frustrating that I have ridden all through winter and the foul weather and will now miss the majority of the summer, but I suppose it could have been a lot worse.
I am now spending my time on designs for my new commuter bike. I have been working on it for a while, but will add a few more features to make it more visible. I want to run LED lights in the frame so it is visible from the side and will make a few more mounts for the front so that it can have 3 rechargeable lights on. I also need to find some reflective paint!

 

[jarlrmai]

I've been hit by a pullout before, not at 30 mph mine was at about 18 I got off lightly with stitches and bruising. The guy drove of after asking if I was alright, I clearly wasn't but the shock was still kicking in and I said I was okay.

Once the body heals I would take it easy once back out riding, I found it hard stop panicking at every car I saw at side roads. The more you do the better it gets but you never really get over it.

 

[mcshroom]

Thanks for all the good wishes.
Its frustrating that I have ridden all through winter and the foul weather and will now miss the majority of the summer

Isn't it just (my avatar is what my arm looked like 2.5 weeks ago so in a similar boat). There will be other summers though, and as you said it could be a lot worse.

 

[S.Giles]

Having been in a similar situation myself, I can say that it is very important to find a good solicitor to handle any compensation claim you may have. I've been in litigation for almost two years (with possibly another couple to go), and have to say that my solicitor has been extremely helpful in many ways. I'd stay away from the ambulance-chasers that advertise on TV (although, to be fair, I have no experience of using them), and find a good local law firm to work with.

Good luck with your recovery.

Steve

 

[jazzkat]

Get well soon. Heal quickly, but don't rush to get back on your bike. Your fitness will come back quickly so don't worry about that.
No matter what you think it could have been worse!

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

I caught a rerun of the cycling show yesterday and there was a guy on it that had competed at the Beijing para-olympics after he had been knocked off his bike and received terrible injuries. He then got knocked off again just before the London olympics and could not compete due to a broken back. He said he didnt blame the driver who left the scene of the crime who was later done for drunk driving as it was an accident. He didnt mean to knock him off and being an alcoholic is a disease.
It also had James Cracknell on the show and he was talking about the head injury he sustained when a wing mirror hit him and caused him alot of problems, but the event did not define who he is, it is just something that happened to him.
I feel this way about the woman that caused my accident. She didnt pull out in front of me to cause me injury (at least I hope she didnt!) It was an accident and unfortunatley accidents happen, but I will not let the broken neck and back stop me doing something I want to do. Its a set back, something that happened to me and something I will get over in time. So that is why I will carry on cycling in the future.

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

Having been in a similar situation myself, I can say that it is very important to find a good solicitor to handle any compensation claim you may have. I've been in litigation for almost two years (with possibly another couple to go), and have to say that my solicitor has been extremely helpful in many ways. I'd stay away from the ambulance-chasers that advertise on TV (although, to be fair, I have no experience of using them), and find a good local law firm to work with.

Good luck with your recovery.

Steve

I have got a soliciter that deals mainly with cyclists, he is in Liverpool which is not far from me if I need to see them for any reason, but from the conversation I have had on the phone with him, I am confident it will be dealt with in a professional manner.
How come your case has taken so long and how long did you take to get back in the saddle?

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Only thing to add is make sure you have the best doctors, use your time to research who is best in the field and push the fact that you aren't looking to be mended you are looking to be back in this best possible condition to do what you love. Try and get referrals, if see if you'd solicitor thinks they can get costs covered. The right people can mark a big difference to how fast you heal and what state you are in at the end. Look for cyclists and Motorcyclists that have had similar situations.

With the legal side, record everything, keep a diary of how each day goes even if they are similar.

 

[vickster]

Hope all heals well.

Unfortunately, PI claims just take a long time to settle, as you need to wait really until all is fixed.

I am 5 months post accident and a settlement is a way off, still having physio, Surgeon tells me my leg could take another 12-18 months to be back to looking normal (surgical scar aside).

Just getting medical experts on board and medical records to them seems to take an age ( I signed the release in April, saw the expert in early June and as far as I know he still doesn't have the records - seen at 3 hospitals and GP)! I am fortunate to have medical insurance which I am making full use of, but it complicates the claim. The solicitor did arrange for physio for me, but I was already having treatment at the hospital where treated

Make sure you take full medical advice on returning to work, activities, cycling etc as others have said

Good luck

 

[400bhp]

I caught a rerun of the cycling show yesterday and there was a guy on it that had competed at the Beijing para-olympics after he had been knocked off his bike and received terrible injuries. He then got knocked off again just before the London olympics and could not compete due to a broken back. He said he didnt blame the driver who left the scene of the crime who was later done for drunk driving as it was an accident. He didnt mean to knock him off and being an alcoholic is a disease.
It also had James Cracknell on the show and he was talking about the head injury he sustained when a wing mirror hit him and caused him alot of problems, but the event did not define who he is, it is just something that happened to him.
I feel this way about the woman that caused my accident. She didnt pull out in front of me to cause me injury (at least I hope she didnt!) It was an accident and unfortunatley accidents happen, but I will not let the broken neck and back stop me doing something I want to do. Its a set back, something that happened to me and something I will get over in time. So that is why I will carry on cycling in the future.

That's a great attitude.

Might help to set some goal/a few goals for yourself when you are back on the bike. It sounds like you were lucky really and I think I'd be dreaming of some kind of post injury excuse to ride my bike a lot escapade, like cycling down to Spain or somesuch.

 

[S.Giles]

I have got a soliciter that deals mainly with cyclists, he is in Liverpool which is not far from me if I need to see them for any reason, but from the conversation I have had on the phone with him, I am confident it will be dealt with in a professional manner.
How come your case has taken so long and how long did you take to get back in the saddle?

Hello Martin,

I don't think my case is atypical, legal matters tend to proceed slowly. There was quite a wait for the police report, and I have attended numerous appointments with medical experts, who have prepared various lengthy reports (at considerable expense to my solicitor). There was a wait for the defendants to accept liability, which they eventually did, but with a 25% discount because of alleged contributory negligence (I wasn't wearing a helmet). The finer points of this are being argued about as we speak. I have had many meetings and phone conversations with my solicitor and one with the barrister we appointed.

Cases of this sort (I had an intra-cranial hemorrhage and fractured zygoma and eye orbits, amongst other things) can get very complicated very quickly. I lost my private pilot's licence because of an increased risk of epilepsy, and an aspect of intellect called working memory index has been permanently damaged. In addition, I was changing my career at the time, and the accident's negative effect on my projected future earnings has had to be estimated and will have to be agreed with the defendants. The bicycle was completely undamaged, but a Rolex watch which I bought in 1989 received £2800 of damage (which should not be subject to the 25% contributory negligence discount, even if it stands).

It took me a while to get back into cycling, even though I didn't sustain any injuries that would have a chronic effect on my ability to ride. It felt odd when I first went back to it, but I'm now into it more than ever, helped by the fact that I've since moved to a more cycle-friendly area.

Steve

 

[mcshroom]

Hi Steve. Just a point that every judge that has heard a 'contributary neglegence for no helmet' defence has thrown it out, so don't accept it.
If they are pushing that line then I would suggest asking advice from the CTC.