Personal injury claim
Cyclist makes £300,000 personal injury claim for crash
A cyclist is making a £300,000 personal injury claim against Northumberland County Council after crashing his bike into a bump in the road.
Michael Ayres, 45, was cycling around Stamfordham on the 1st October 2003 when he hit a 15cm high bump and was flown two metres over his handle bars.
Mr Ayres sustained a serious head injury when he fell to the ground and has since been diagnosed with partial deafness, epilepsy, memory loss and dizziness caused by brain damage.
He said, "I have thought about ending it. I suffer from depression because of what has happened. My life is ruined. I can't see a future for myself and any chance for a normal life has gone out the window."
The former taxi driver alleges Northumberland County Council didn't remove a large tree root that laid in the road when they resurfaced the B6321 on the 4th August 2003.
"The new surface made spotting the root impossible and also one would assume such a defect had been corrected before the new surface went down."
The council told Mr Ayres that the tree root hadn't been apparent at their last inspection and must have developed since the road works were carried out.
Mr Ayres decided to make a claim after the council uplifted the root on the 17th October 2003.
"Are the council seriously going to argue that this root formed in eight weeks at these dimensions, after their inspection?"
Mr Ayres has contacted a compensation solicitor and is making a £300, 000 personal injury claim for his bicycle accident.
