Matt’s story: ‘I’m lucky I can still use my arms’
Having nearly lost a limb in a motorbike accident, Matthew Burchell feels grateful to still have the use of all his body. The support of ACC has helped him recover and he’s now back at work part-time on light duties, working his way up to a full return.
Motorcyclist Matthew Burchell was lying in the middle of the road, with searing pain in his arms, and said to a bystander, ‘Please be honest with me, how bad is it?’
That member of the public, one of the first on the scene to his serious motorbike crash, didn’t know what to say. For Matt, that spoke volumes.
“I knew it was bad and then I saw the look on his face – it confirmed I’d suffered significant injuries,” the 23-year-old says, reflecting on that fateful day.
The likeable lad from Thames will never forget 10 November, 2023.
After finishing his workday as a mechanical engineer a bit early, he took his motorcycle up the Firth of Thames to clear his head. He remembers it being a sunny and warm evening.
He was travelling around 70km per hour when he collided with a car that had pulled out in front of him from a side road, leaving him in a serious condition.
“I didn't have time to do anything other than say the F word into my helmet. Then it all just went black and all I could feel was the sensation of somersaults.”
He came to a few minutes later, lying on the road in a state of shock.
He was wondering if the crash had been a bad dream, but he could hear the waves lapping onto the beach.
“It was a surreal feeling,” he says.
“I guess my body used all of its adrenaline to block the pain from the trauma I was experiencing at the time.”
Matt did his own body checks, wriggling his legs, back and neck.
“I went to move my arms, and I couldn’t move them, or at least I couldn’t feel them moving, which made me realise something wasn’t right.”
‘The thought of losing my arm was terrifying’
Matt had fractured his right wrist, shattered the bones in his right thumb, and suffered multiple and severe compound fractures down his left arm.
An ambulance arrived on the scene and an Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to take him to Waikato Hospital. The swift response of the team played a big part in Matt keeping his arm.
“I knew from the reaction of those around me at the scene that I might not keep my arm, which was terrifying,” he says.
“I’m forever grateful to those who voluntarily supported me on that day, to all the local rescue teams and the Auckland Westpac Rescue crew for the role they played in my recovery.”
With some heavy pain relief kicking in, Matt vividly remembers having football banter with one of the helicopter’s pre-hospital medicine doctors, Kathryn.
“That helped me take my mind off what was going on,” he says.
“I’m a Nottingham Forest fan, and she was a Chelsea supporter, so it was only right to give each other a bit of stick.”
Matt was rushed into surgery where the doctors corrected the multiple fractures in his arms, wrists and thumb with temporary bone cement, steel plates, wires and screws. The long journey of rehabilitation then began.
Look again for motorcyclists
Unfortunately, Matt isn’t alone.
In 2024, ACC accepted 4,739 motorbike-related injuries at a cost of $150 million to help people recover.
This was the highest number of injuries and the highest cost in the past five years. The active claims cost was $109 million in 2020.
From 2016 to 2020, there were 2,758 crashes involving a motorcycle or moped at urban intersections, Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency) data shows. Of those, 538 involved serious injury and there were 38 fatalities.
Car drivers are at fault in 90 per cent of crashes between cars and motorbikes at urban intersections, Ministry of Transport figures show.
ACC injury prevention leader James Whitaker says motorbike riders and car drivers are both responsible for reducing motorcycle fatalities and injuries.
“We’ve all got to be more aware of the dangers at intersections,” he says.
“Look again for motorcyclists, not just the gap. Be aware of your blind spots.”
‘We’re lucky to have ACC’
In hospital, surgeons told Matt there was no guarantee he’d keep the use his left arm from the elbow down because of the significant nerve damage or his right thumb because of how much of a mess it was inside.
“I can’t tell you how happy and uplifting it was when that wrist did start to twitch, and I began to get a little bit of movement back,” he says.
“None of the ‘worst case’ outcomes I was warned of by my specialists have eventuated. It's all come back as well as it probably could at this stage and time, considering where I was last November. So I feel very fortunate, but I’ll keep pushing for the best recovery result I can.”
Matt says his recovery was tough going, with having both arms in casts, slings and braces for the first few months.
“It was really difficult. I needed help with everything – I was totally dependent on others.”
He thanks his mum for being his rock during this time and says he couldn’t have got through that challenging stage without her help.
He was grateful for the support of ACC with his major medical costs while the weekly compensation allowed him to focus on his recovery.
“You realise you’re lucky to live in New Zealand and have that support,” he says.
Working towards a full recovery
Matt is stoked to now be back at work on light duties and in a part-time capacity. He’s currently working through a recovery at work plan and hopes to be back in fulltime work by early next year.
He feels lucky to still have the use of his arms.
He loves his sport, having played football as a goalkeeper, and is looking forward to plenty of time at the beach this summer.
“It makes you realise how much you rely on the function of both your arms in everyday life, and how different and difficult things would be if it had been a very different outcome,” he says.
“I was lucky and I’m forever grateful to everyone who supported me.”
Matt sees motorbikes around everywhere. They still give him a flicker of excitement.
“I’d love to get back on one, having that fun and feeling of freedom again. But at the moment I’ve made a promise to my mum, so I won’t.”
He has simple advice for any drivers on our roads.
“Don’t be in a rush,” he says.
“The place you’re going isn’t going anywhere, so just get there safely. If something happens, you may just regret that decision for the rest of your life.”
How to Ride Forever
Get ready for your ride by doing these three things:
- Check your bikes are well-maintained
- Ensure your gear is up to scratch
- Refresh your skills by completing a Ride Forever coaching programme
For more information visit the Ride Forever website.
