A MAN who survived severe injuries when he was crushed under a wall died years later, an inquest heard.
David Griffiths, from Scorriton near Buckfastleigh, was not killed in the accident at work in 2012 but was left a paraplegic.
A jury inquest into his death which happened nine years later in 2021 heard complications from the ‘severe and extensive injuries’ he suffered had a huge impact on his life and physical condition.
By September 2021, the 49-year-old’s medical condition deteriorated to the extent that he was put on end of life palliative care.
He died at his home with his sister by his side, on September 14, 2021.
His inquest has finally taken place at Exeter Coroner’s Court.
Details of the workplace incident were provided by his GP, who described his medical history as ‘very complex’, and a consultant spinal surgeon at a spinal treatment centre in Salisbury where he was admitted in 2012 and stayed for four months.
The inquest heard Mr Griffiths had been working on a building site and was believed to have been driving a digger when part of a wall fell on him, causing crushing injuries to his chest and abdomen.
He became trapped under rubble for a while until he was rescued.
He sustained spinal fractures, requiring surgery, along with multiple rib fractures, collapsed lung and significant aortic dissection - a tear in the body’s main artery which also required surgical repair.
He was left paralysed from the waist down and was wheelchair bound.
His long term medical issues included chronic pain, pressure sores and severe peripheral vascular disease which resulted in an above knee amputation in 2019.
Mr Griffiths, who was unemployed due to ill health, endured multiple hospital admissions.
The medical cause of death given by his GP was sepsis, pneumonia and osteomyelitis (infection of the bone), and vascular disease.
The jury concluded he died from the progression of natural diseases brought about by the workplace accident.
Assistant coroner Nicholas Lane passed his condolences on to Mr Griffith’s daughter.