Burncross Road collision, Ecclesfield, left Sheffield cyclist with brain injury – now he’s fighting back

But in just a few seconds, his carefree day turned into a horrific nightmare.

Married dad-of-two Stephen had been on the homeward leg of his day out when disaster struck.

He had been riding with two friends and was on his way home when he was hit by a van and knocked off his bike on June 23, 2020.

He suffered fractures to his left arm, right wrist and right ankle. He also sustained a nasal fracture, cuts and bruises, and broken teeth in the incident as he rode along Burncross Road in Ecclesfield.

He was taken to hospital

On arrival, he was found to have sustained brain damage, as well as the several fractures and damage to his teeth.

Pictures taken of him at the time show him in his hospital bed, face caked in blood and with an oxygen mask.

The dad-of-two remained in hospital for 16 days.

Nearly two years on, he is still living with the consequences.

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He continues to experience constant pain in his left arm and right wrist, and is bothered by flare-ups of pain in his back and ankle.

Stephen also suffers with memory loss, fatigue and issues with his concentration and speech. His sleeping pattern remains affected and he lacks motivation since being unable to return to work properly at his family’s haulage company.

But despite what has been thrown at him, Stephen has fought back and has recently achieved a long term dream – moving into his father’s old farmhouse in Hoyland, Barnsley.

Irwin Mitchell

Following the incident, Stephen, 52, instructed expert serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to help him access the specialist rehabilitation and therapies he requires due to his injuries.

Stephen is now using Action for Brain Injury Week to speak for the first time about how he’s determined to overcome his injuries and raise awareness of the support available.

This comes after he and his family moved into the former farmhouse, which had been a ‘lifelong dream’ of his. His legal team helped support the move after securing an interim payment of funds.

At the time of the incident, Stephen and Donna lived in Ecclesfield with their two children, Grace, 14 and William, 10.

As part of his recovery, Stephen has undergone nasal surgery and dental treatment. He sees a physiotherapist and neuro-psychologist, and he was also under the care of STEPS Rehabilitation in Sheffield from January to April 2021.

Early this year, the family moved into the farmhouse in Barnsley. They plan to have it renovated.

He said: “Since my injuries, my life has changed dramatically. I have difficulty carrying out simple day to day tasks and this leaves me feeling angry and frustrated as I’ve become a lot more reliant on Donna.

Memory loss

“While my memory is bad since the crash, I can recall everything before that and it makes me very upset to remember how good my old life was and how it’s not the same anymore.

“After what happened, I wasn’t able to drive for about a year and have also had my HGV licence revoked until next June. I’ve been able to do some of the administrative side of things at work, but I hate not being able to drive the lorries as that’s what I loved doing.

“I can’t change what I’ve been through but I’m determined not to let it ruin my life. I have such great support from family and friends, and I know that will get me through.

“Moving into my dad’s old farmhouse has always been a lifelong dream of mine and there was no way I was going to let my injuries stop that from becoming reality. However, I won’t be able to do the renovations myself which had been the plan previously.

“I just hope that by speaking out, others will see that there is life after a brain injury; you’re not alone and help is available.”

Suspended sentence

The driver of the van that hit Stephen was charged with driving with a proportion of a specified drug above the specified limit and for driving without due care and attention. He was ordered to undertake 250 hours unpaid work, to pay a surcharge of £128 and costs of £85, was disqualified from driving for 24 months and received a 16-week suspended jail sentence.

Ian Whittaker, the serious injury expert at Irwin Mitchell representing Stephen and his wife Donna, 43, said: “Stephen suffered life-changing injuries when he was knocked off his bike and the past two years have been incredibly tough for him as he attempts to come to terms with what he’s been through.

“While Stephen continues to make progress with his recovery, he still faces many challenges.”

Michael Turner, who assists Mr Whittaker at Irwin Mitchell, added: “Nothing will change what’s happened to Stephen, but we’ll continue to support him by ensuring he has access to the specialist therapies and rehabilitation he requires to make the best recovery possible.

“Action For Brain Injury Week is the perfect time for Stephen to share his story, which is also a vivid reminder of the consequences vulnerable road users such as cyclists can face as a result of the actions of others and the need to take care at all times.”

Headway Action for Brain Injury Week

Action for Brain Injury Week runs from May 16-22 and is supported by the charity Headway. This year’s campaign is entitled The Hidden Me, and aims to raise awareness of often misunderstood symptoms of brain injury.

For more information visit www.headway.org.uk

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