Former Police Officer Instructs Serious Injury Lawyers To Help Him Access Rehabilitation

A dad-of-two seriously hurt when he was knocked down on his way home from work has revealed the ‘upsetting and frustrating’ impact of his injuries.

Andy, 60, from Surrey, was walking towards St Pancras train station in central London when a black cab collided with him as he was using a pedestrian crossing on Goods Way, Kings Cross.

Andy was thrown and landed around two to three metres away.  He was taken to hospital by ambulance.  He underwent x-rays and was found to have a suffered a catalogue of injuries including a serious fracture to his left leg. He’s been told he is unlikely to regain full movement in his leg.

He was discharged home three days later, before subsequently returning to hospital for an operation on his leg.  After his surgery, he found his injuries prevented him from accessing the community and was reliant on his family for assistance.

Following the crash in February this year, Andy instructed expert serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to help him access the specialist support and therapies he requires as part of his recovery.

Andy has now joined his lawyers in supporting Road Safety Week and has spoken for the first time about the life-changing impact his injuries have had.

Expert Opinion

“The past nine months have been incredibly difficult for Andy and what happened to him is a stark reminder of the potential dangers faced by road users.

Through our work, we come across too many people who have sustained serious injuries on the roads and we’re determined to ensure Andy has access to the ongoing rehabilitation and treatment he requires to maximise his recovery.

Road Safety Week is an opportunity for Andy to share his story and urge road users to stay safe at all times.”
Tessa Craythorne, Serious Injury Lawyer

The crash happened on 2 February, with Andy undergoing the surgery on 14 February. He was reliant on crutches until June.  During this time, he was restricted to living downstairs at home as his injuries prevented him from being able to use the stairs safely.

Andy still has a limited range of movement in his left knee which impacts his mobility and affects his day-to-day living.  He’s benefited from orthopaedic input and continues to undergo physiotherapy.  However, he’s been told he is unlikely to regain full movement in his leg and may need a knee replacement in the future.

Andy previously worked as a detective inspector for the Metropolitan Police, before becoming a driving instructor with the fire service and as a volunteer with St John Ambulance.  In November last year, he began a role as a lead training advisor with self-driving cars.  He returned to work in May 2022.

Andy has struggled to come to terms with the accident and is now more anxious when travelling.

He said: “I still remember the day of the crash so vividly. I was walking to the train station from work, like I always did, when I was hit by the taxi. I remember a number of people passing by came over to help me. I was unable to stand on my leg so at first I thought I had damaged my ankle. I also remember ringing my wife, Debbie, and telling her what had happened.

“When I got home from the hospital, I found it really tough being confined to downstairs. It was upsetting and frustrating, but I had amazing support from Debbie and my family and friends.

“Since the crash, I continue to have flashbacks of the events leading up to it and I have found that it disrupts my sleep. I also find it difficult to be around the area where it happened and end up taking the longer way around to avoid the scene.

“I used to deal with car accidents a lot when I was in the police but I never thought it would happen to me. I don’t think that you can truly understand the impact an accident can have until you have lived with the injuries.

“I’m not sure if I’ll ever fully recover, and it’s still very early on, but I’m determined to do my very best to get my old life back. In the meantime, I hope that by sharing my story it will encourage others to take care on the roads. I wouldn’t want anyone else going through what I have.”

Road Safety Week, organised by the charity Brake, runs from 14-20 November. This year’s theme is Safe Roads For All. Find out more

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in handling serious injury cases