Personal Injury Claim Settled after Pensioner´s Leg Amputation

A pensioner, who broke his leg in three places when falling into a hole at his local park, has been awarded 160,000 pounds in settlement of his personal injury claim against his local council after the injuries resulted in the amputation of his leg.

Edward Tuffrey (67), a retired window cleaner from Barnes, Middlesex, was walking his dog in the Suffolk Road Recreational Ground in May 2006 when his foot plunged into a ten-inch hole in the ground. Despite the insertion of a metal plate and nine screws, the leg failed to heal and after the metal plate snapped in 2008, an infection developed in the leg which resulted in its amputation.

Edward made a personal injury claim against Richmond Council on the grounds that he and other local residents had complained to the council about the state of the recreational ground for several years without anything being done. Richmond Council were found negligent and responsible for Edward´s injuries by the Mayor and City of London Court in October 2010 but given leave to appeal.

Shortly before the appeal case was due to be heard in December 2011, the council and Edward´s solicitors arrived at a negotiated settlement which will see the council pay Edward 160,000 pounds for his injuries.