Title: Nico's Fateful Journey: From Educator to Nursing Case
A harrowing incident turned the life of Nico Klein (24) upside down. After a fateful day on June 24, 2022, Nico became a nursing case, struggling to reclaim his prior life.
The Incident
A twisting bend on district road 8 (Soest district) held devastating consequences for Nico. In a 100 km/h zone, his motorcycle slammed into the rear of a parked police car, driven by officers awaiting a tow truck for another biker accident. The police car had parked in the middle of the road without sufficient warnings or adequate safety precautions.
Overcoming Challenges
Nico's injuries were extensive and life-threatening. Among his multitude of injuries, he sustained fractured lumbar and thoracic vertebrae, a compressing lung, a ruptured spleen, a liver hemorrhage, a broken collarbone, a fractured upper jaw, a shattered midface, a fractured base of skull, and severe traumatic brain injury with bleeding inside his brain.
The long list of medical procedures Nico required included multiple surgeries to address his life-threatening brain trauma, spinal injuries, and facial damage. Complications arose as the doctors faced challenges with elevated intracranial pressure, prompting the removal of his skull to alleviate pressure. Even after intricate skull reconstruction and subsequent attempts to reattach the artificial skull plate, the doctors decided to allow his body to reject these implants.
Coping with Change and Moving Forward
After grueling months in the hospital, Nico was unable to return to his home in Warstein due to the need for home modifications to accommodate his wheelchair. However, he was determined to return as soon as possible, living in a residential group for people with brain damage in Unna-Königsborn in the meantime.
Monika Wintergalen, Nico's aunt, pointed out that Nico always professed a desire to establish his own living space in Warstein. But with the needed adaptations, the cost entered the hundreds of thousands of euros. Monika set up an online fundraising campaign through GoFundMe to help cover the costs of converting the family home to accommodate Nico and purchasing a larger vehicle for transportation. The campaign initially raised over 60,000 euros within a week, with a goal of 150,000 euros.
Justice Seeks Redress
The two police officers responsible for the accident turned themselves in to the Soest district court in November, charged with negligent bodily harm due to failure to warn of the hazardous bend and potential blindspots. Witness testimonies contradicted the officers' claims that they had turned on their blue lights, and low sunlight may have caused glare that hindered Nico's visibility.
After an evaluation of the case, however, the charges were dismissed and both officers paid a fine of 2,000 euros to the air rescue service. The legal team believed that a more comprehensive expert consultation would have been necessary to determine if the warning triangle was at fault and to establish the officers' negligence in the case.
Monika's family disputes this decision, preparing to press on with civil proceedings against the police department's insurance company, hoping for a more favorable outcome for Nico.
