Stuart Payne, a 46-year-old project engineer from Manchester, was hospitalized for six days in France following a collision with a car. The incident occurred in April on the final day of a trip with friends to follow the Paris-Roubaix professional cycling race.
Payne was reportedly cycling back to his accommodation in Lille when he was struck from behind by a vehicle. He sustained a ruptured liver, four broken ribs, a punctured lung, and damage to his neck and shoulder. According to Payne, the motorist initially failed to stop at the scene but later returned.
"We'd hired a place in Lille, and I was just going back to our digs when the car smashed into the back of me," Payne recounted. "It's not as if I was in the middle of the road or anything like that. I was in the cycle lane and the road, like many of them in France, was very wide."
Payne spent five days in intensive care for his liver injury. His friends stayed with him for a few days before he was able to travel home to the UK via Eurostar, as he was medically prohibited from flying due to the severity of his injuries.
"What happened was awful, but it is what it is – you've just got to keep moving and getting on with it," Payne said.
Paul Rimmer, a senior litigation executive at Hudgell Solicitors, representing Payne, stated that they allege the driver was exceeding the speed limit for the circumstances and failed to drive with reasonable care. Rimmer added that under French law, known as Loi Badinter, Payne is considered blameless for the accident.
Payne is now pursuing compensation for his injuries in France.