£57,500 settlement for bike injury

A man who suffered severe facial injuries when the front end of the bike he was riding collapsed beneath him, has been awarded £57,500 in an out of court settlement. The man had been cycling when the front wheel and suspension of his bike collapsed beneath him, sending him flying over the handlebars. He landed on his face and suffered massive damage to his mouth, including severe dental and soft tissue trauma, the partial loss of four upper teeth and the total loss of three lower teeth. He was off work for six weeks and lost out on a lucrative contract he was due to start the following week. He has been left with permanent scarring around his nose and mouth which will require plastic surgery, and he has had to undergo prolonged dental treatment as a result of his injuries. The retailer, who admitted liability, had failed to correctly assemble the bike prior to its sale.