A pensioner, who broke his leg in three places when falling into a hole at his local park, has been awarded £160,000 in a leg amputation settlement from his local council after the injuries resulted in the amputation of his leg.
Edward Tuffrey (67), a retired window washer from Barnes, Middlesex, was taking his dog for a walk in the Suffolk Road Recreational Ground in May 2006 when his foot fell into a ten-inch hole in the ground. Despite the insertion of a metal plate and nine screws, the leg would not heal and after the metal plate snapped in 2008, an infection developed in the leg which lead to its amputation.
Edward took 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 area for several years without anything being done. Richmond Council were found negligent and to blame for Edward´s injuries by the Mayor and City of London Court in October 2010 but given leave to take an appeal.
Prior to the appeal case was scheduled to be heard in December 2011, the council and Edward´s lawyers arrived at a negotiated settlement which will see the council pay Edward 160,000 pounds for his injuries.