Cycling accident · Anonymised case study
Lalloo Solicitors represented a cyclist who suffered serious right-leg injuries in an accident involving a truck on a Dublin road. The claim ultimately settled for €275,000, without admission of liability.
The client suffered a fractured kneecap and extensive damage to the skin and soft tissues of the right leg, described in the medical reports as a degloving injury.
Treatment involved approximately six weeks in hospital and three operations, including cleaning damaged tissue from the wounds and skin grafting. Skin was taken from donor areas on the thighs to cover the injured areas.
The knee was supported in a brace, and rehabilitation included physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
Leaving hospital did not mean returning immediately to normal life. During the early recovery period, the client needed help with washing, dressing and everyday activities. Crutches and the knee brace restricted mobility.
The early medical assessment recorded pain, difficulty bending the knee and problems with stairs. Activities that had previously been routine, including cycling and exercise, were interrupted.
The client also described distress about the appearance of the injured leg and the loss of independence.
The later orthopaedic assessment recorded meaningful improvement. The client had returned to full-time work and resumed cycling, with no reported difficulties in those activities.
However, the client still reported knee pain, stiffness, difficulty squatting and discomfort when descending stairs. There was also sensitivity around the grafted skin and donor areas.
The examining specialist found full knee movement and a clinically stable knee, alongside tenderness and grinding at the kneecap joint. The specialist expected the scars at the grafted injury sites to remain permanent, although their appearance could soften over time.
Flashbacks and nightmares were also reported. These were part of the client’s account; they are not presented here as a psychiatric diagnosis.
The claim went through the Board assessment process. The claim file also included medical reports and counsel’s advice on valuation and the need for further assessment.
An important distinction was the difference between functional recovery and complete recovery. Returning to work and cycling was significant progress, but the evidence still recorded residual symptoms and lasting scarring.
The final settlement was €275,000, without admission of liability. It was a negotiated settlement, not a court judgment establishing fault.
Identifying details have been omitted. This account concerns one client’s circumstances and does not indicate what another claim might be worth.
Related information: Cyclist Accident Claims in Ireland, personal injury advice from Lalloo Solicitors and No Win No Fee Explained.
In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.
