A man who was injured in the Westminster attack is claiming compensation for his injuries and psychological trauma.

Francisco Lopes, 26, claims he was left with limited use of his left hand after being thrown over the bonnet of Khalid Masood’s rented Hyundai.

He also suffered cuts to his legs and says he has experienced mental health problems, including panic attacks and agoraphobia, and been off work since the attack on 22 March.

Lopes is seeking to make a claim against the rental company’s insurer for the cost of counselling and rehabilitation treatment.

Lopes, who works at nearby St Thomas’ hospital, said: “I try to be like I was, which was scared of nothing, but what happened changed me. I get scared when I think about what happened and I’m terrified that I could easily have died.

“I am scared to go outside and I particularly fear busy places. I’m scared of traffic and haven’t been on my bike since the attack. I just don’t feel safe as I’m worried something bad could happen again. My life is completely different and I just want my normal life back.”

Patrick Maguire from law firm Slater and Gordon, which is representing Lopes, said: “The priority is to ensure that Francisco gets access to the best rehabilitation in order to rebuild his life following this terrible ordeal.

“It is necessary to secure funds to ensure he gets access to this rehabilitation, together with reimbursement for his financial losses.”

A Zurich spokesman said: “We do provide insurance for Enterprise and have a specialist team looking at how that policy is impacted by the terrible events in Westminster.

“It was a tragic event and presents many complex aspects as far as insurance is concerned. It is therefore far too soon to talk about any specific elements of this.”