London Boris Bike crash cyclist says victims need more help

The girlfriend of a cyclist crushed by a lorry in central London has called for more support to be offered to injured riders and their families.

Dag was cycling to a modelling casting on a "Boris Bike" when a lorry turned and collided with him.

Valeria Vereau said more needed to be done to support families while they cared for the injured riders.

The lorry driver was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Preparing for the worst

Dag was injured on 19 April at the junction of Gray's Inn Road and Theobald's Road near Chancery Lane.

He said: "I got the last two back wheels over my body, crushing my hip and my pelvis, and I also had 14 ribs broken and collar bone broken, two bones in my neck broken and internal bleedings on my spleen and on my liver."

His girlfriend Ms Vereau said medical staff told her to prepare for the worst as he underwent a series of operations.

"They said that he was severely injured and that he had a minimal capacity of survival, basically that he would most likely not make it because of all the internal injuries he had.

Dag's girlfriend said recovering from the crash was a 'living nightmare'

"It was like living a nightmare that you don't seem able to wake up from. It's just devastating watching someone you love on the borderline."

Ms Vereau said she was working "triply" hard to make sure the couple had money to live on.

She said: "He was struggling for his life so you're not really thinking about things.

"To handle everything and figuring out everything on your own when you're in such a state it's quite stressful.

"If there could be more support for those who are injured [it would help]."

Dag spent two months in hospital and remains in a wheelchair and it is thought it could take between two and five years before his body recovers.

He said: "I entirely rely on my girlfriend at home. I need help when I move around, I need help showering, I need help with food.

"In my frustration I actually wrote two emails to the Mayor of London and he kindly replied that he can't help, so I'm just thinking if he can't then who can?"