A paramedic who suffered severe injuries in a cycling incident after being struck by a car has secured compensation.

Ian Aldred, a 56-year-old paramedic from Rochdale, was cycling to work along Whitworth Road on 26 October 2020, when he was hit by a car on a roundabout.

The crash’s impact knocked him off his bike, causing him to collide with the vehicle’s windscreen before landing on the ground.
The married father-of-one, a paramedic with the North West Ambulance Service, was taken to Royal Oldham Hospital. He suffered a fracture to his right hip and was left with severe pain in his right knee and bruising on his left side. Mr Aldred underwent hip surgery and was discharged from the hospital a few days later.

The incident forced him off work for four months. During this time, it also meant that he could not participate in much-loved activities, such as cycling and walking.

The Unite the Union member instructed the national law firm, Thompsons Solicitors, to make a compensation claim for his physical and psychological injuries and financial losses.

His physical recovery programme involved a period of non-weight bearing and eight weeks of physiotherapy sessions.

His hip condition is now much improved, but he has some ongoing pain, which is likely to be permanent.

Mr Aldred also suffered psychologically following the collision. He was diagnosed with adjustment disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and underwent both cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and, more recently, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. His treatment concluded in June 2023.

Three years after the incident, despite a good physical recovery, he remains cautious while cycling and has altered his route to work due to the experience.

Mr Aldred said: “The incident has left more psychological scars than physical ones. It’s made me feel more nervous about going out on my bike, especially when I’m out on social rides with friends.

“It’s frustrating that the driver didn’t get prosecuted for what he did to me, but I’m happy that this settlement provides some closure so I can move on with my life.

“Thompsons has been exceptional throughout this whole ordeal. My solicitor, Helen, kept me well-informed on developments during a turbulent time for everyone due to the pandemic. She made everything simple and easy for me to understand, which was appreciated.”

Helen Templeton, a senior lawyer at Thompsons’ Liverpool office, said: “This has been a very distressing ordeal for our client, regarding the physical injuries he sustained and the ongoing anxiety he experiences getting back on his bike.

"He still encounters some minor discomfort in his hip, but the long-term prognosis is positive regarding his physical health.
“I'm pleased that we could secure a positive outcome for Ian, but this is a case in point of the risks cyclists face on a daily basis.”