A Bury man has secured compensation after suffering serious injuries after a car struck him in a "hit and run" incident while he was cycling.

Terry Hodges, 55, was on the bike on the A58 between Bury and Bolton on May 16, 2022, when he was struck by a car at speed from behind.

Terry was knocked onto the cars bonnet before hitting the road.

The driver sped off, leaving Mr Hodges with spinal and pelvic fractures and ligament damage to his knees and ankles.

He was rushed to North Manchester General Hospital and spent eight days in care and subsequently spent six months on a spinal board.

The incident left Mr Hodges in pain, something he still experiences a year on.

It also led him to develop severe anxiety and was subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and he’s fearful of going near roads and regularly experiences flashbacks.

Terry contacted his trade union, Unite, who put him in touch with national law firm, Thompsons Solicitors.

Thompsons carried out an immediate needs assessment, with the defendant’s insurers agreeing to fund his rehabilitation, which included physiotherapy, acupuncture, osteopathy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) treatment.

EMDR is a form of therapy that helps individuals to process traumatic experiences that can affect their mental health.

Mr Hodges’ physical and psychological injuries forced him off work for nine months.

The collision has also severely impacted his two passions- cycling and motorcycling.

Mr Hodges said: “I used to travel the world cycling and motorcycling, covering huge distances, but I’m now unable to do that.

“The most I can manage is 30 minutes cycling before the pain becomes overbearing.

“It’s been hard, psychologically, to come to terms with the fact I can’t do the things I once loved before the accident.

“Simple things like going on long walks are no longer on the agenda for me, and that’s been tough for someone who has been active all their life.

“Thompsons has been a real lifesaver. My solicitor, Matthew, has been amazing - so calm, professional and on top of the legal detail and my needs.

“This case is about affording me access to rehabilitation and mental health services.

“Matthew even arranged for someone to visit my house to see if I needed any home adaptations.

“I didn’t, but it was the fact that he thought about my all-round care that I appreciated.”

Ritchie James, regional secretary at Unite the Union, said: “We welcome the compensation settlement our member has secured.

“Mr Hodges has been through an horrendous ordeal - suffering multiple physical injuries through no fault of his own.

“Cases such as this show the benefits of being a Unite member, specifically the free access members get to specialist personal injury legal services.

“It also shows that the union is prepared to take cases on that claim companies and no win, no fee solicitors will not.

“We wish Mr Hodges all the best in his recovery and hope that he can now move forward from this experience with renewed optimism.”

Matthew Corby, principal personal injury lawyer at Thompsons Solicitors’ Manchester office, who represented Mr Hodges added: "This has been an incredibly distressing experience for Mr Hodges, both in terms of the physical injuries and the psychological trauma he’s had to endure through an accident that was no fault of his own.

"I'm pleased that we could secure a satisfactory outcome for Mr Hodges so that he can move forward and embrace the next chapter of his life.”

https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/23675031.bury-cyclist-suffers-serious-injuries-knocked-off-bike/