Doncaster cyclist who suffered spinal and leg fractures when hit by BMW reveals life-changing impact of collision

The 37-year-old spent ten days in hospital and has had to undergo several operations on broken bones and to carry out skin grafts.

Following the crash, Lauren, a mum-of-one from Blaxton, instructed expert serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate and help her access the specialist therapies and rehabilitation she requires.

Lauren, a keen horse rider and owner, has now joined her legal team in issuing a road safety warning.

Lauren is using Bike Week to speak for the first time about the impact the crash has had on her life, how it affected her relationship with her daughter and has stopped her from opening the livery business she was in the process of setting up.

It comes after the driver’s insurance company admitted liability for the crash. Irwin Mitchell has secured Lauren a five-figure interim payment to help fund her ongoing rehabilitation and compensate for loss of earnings.

Grace Todd, the serious injury expert at Irwin Mitchell representing Lauren, said: “The terrible injuries Lauren suffered through no fault of her own have greatly impacted not only her life but that of her family.

“She’s lost a lot of independence, and while through access to early rehabilitation she’s making progress in her recovery, Lauren still faces many challenges.

“We’re determined to help Lauren make the best recovery possible. In the meantime, we hope her story acts as a warning about the dangers that vulnerable road users such as cyclists face and why it’s important for everyone to take care on the roads.”

Lauren was returning home from feeding her horses and was cycling in Bank End Road towards The Blue Bell Inn when a BMW crashed into the back of her bike, on 11 August, 2022.

Lauren was thrown from her bike, landing in a ditch, following which passers-by came to her help.

She was taken to hospital where she had skin grafts. She later had further surgery to have her right ankle pinned and plated.

Lauren said: “It was a gorgeous sunny day and perfect conditions. On the way home, three cars had overtaken me without no problem and then I remember hearing a car thinking that’s loud then the next thing I knew I was hit from behind.

“My next memory is being laid out in the ditch looking up and shouting for help. The driver had stopped quite far down the road but didn’t come over. I was on my back thinking how I could drag myself out of the ditch as I was petrified no one could see me and I’d be left there.

“Then some people came and called the emergency services. I started losing a lot of blood. The pain was getting worse and it felt like an age until the emergency services arrived. All I remember was the lights of the ambulance and that was it. I’d passed out.

“It was only when I came round in hospital did the extent of my injuries become apparent. It wasn’t a case of spending a few days in hospital then going home and everything would be okay. That was only the start of it.

“The last few months and trying to come to terms with both the physical and mental trauma of everything has been difficult. Life before the accident was good. I’ve always loved horses and horse riding and was about to turn my passion into launching my livery business. However, all that changed in a few seconds.

“I went from having all these plans and being outgoing and sociable to someone who was reliant on others for help.

“I still have flashbacks to the collision and am a lot more nervous when going out. Even things like the school run and going out at weekends with my daughter are a struggle.

“But despite everything I’m determined to try and not let what happened dominate my life. I’m trying to focus on my recovery and still want to set up my business if I can.

“I just hope that by speaking out people are aware of the damage they can cause by not paying attention on the roads.”

Police launched an investigation into the incident but decided not to take further action against the BMW driver.

Bike Week runs from 5-11 June. It’s organised by Cycling UK which promotes the health and environmental benefits of cycling while campaign for improve safety.