A grandad claims he smashed his face and broke his backbone after tripping on a pothole that neighbours declare that they had reported to council years earlier than.
Darren Lucas was returning to his house in Abergavenny, Wales, when he says he tripped over a 10ft-long pothole within the lane outdoors his home and smashed his head on the concrete.
The grandad-of-four was left with a large lump on his head, a bloodied face and a reduce on his leg, so went to A&E the place he mentioned he was given painkillers and despatched house – leaving his spinal damage undiscovered for a yr.
Regardless of repeat visits to medical doctors and hospitals as he started to lose sensation in his legs and arms, it was not till Darren collapsed a yr on from the accident in March 2022 that an MRI lastly revealed his backbone was damaged in three locations.
The 57-year-old endured a grueling emergency op to insert six or seven steel plates into his backbone, 11 days in ICU recovering and needed to painfully relearn to stroll once more utilizing a zimmer body.
Nevertheless he says he has been left in struggling to stroll because of being in immense quantities of ache and nerve – leaving him fearing additional falls.
One in every of Darren’s neighbours claims to have reported the pothole to Monmouthshire County Council round six years in the past however says nothing was carried out.
Darren mentioned: ‘It’s ruined my life and no one’s taking the blame. It’s horrible that they received’t settle for any accountability for it. If I’d simply banged my head and I’d simply fell it wouldn’t be so dangerous however due to the accidents I’ve obtained and so they’re life altering accidents, it’s simply not truthful.
‘It’s a horrible factor to undergo. It’s simply improper. The accidents simply obtained worse and worse. My physique simply gave up ultimately.
‘I used to be struggling, I couldn’t get off the couch, I couldn’t even gown myself.. I grew to become incontinent, I needed to put on nappies and it obtained worse. Even the slightest motion I used to be screaming in agony, it was that dangerous. I didn’t perceive what was occurring.
‘It simply grew to become insufferable. I couldn’t even stroll, I couldn’t get to the automotive.. In the long run I collapsed at house. I couldn’t even carry myself up as a result of my arms have been gone, my legs have been gone. It was the worst feeling ever.’
Darren mentioned medical doctors instructed him he may have been paralysed ‘for all times’ after the ‘scary’ incident.
He added: ‘I simply want the council would take accountability for what has occurred. It’s like I’ve been chucked on the scrapheap, that’s how I really feel. My spouse has to obtained to do the whole lot for me. I can’t even gown myself. It’s embarrassing and it’s not truthful on me.’
Though Darren stays in plenty of ache, he goes to physio each two weeks and might get round utilizing a strolling stick.
Darren mentioned he reported the pothole to the housing affiliation after the autumn as a result of they personal the home he lives in and he believed they owned the street with the pothole.
However after instructing a solicitor to symbolize him over the incident, Darren discovered that the street is owned by Monmouthshire County Council.
He mentioned the council instructed his solicitors that the street is checked each six months, however Darren mentioned the pothole was by no means maintained throughout the 5 years he has lived within the property.
Monmouthshire County Council instructed Metro: ‘The realm the place Mr Lucas claims to have fallen is unadopted and will have been repaired by a person or resident affiliation.’
Darren says it was solely after being contacted by his solicitor that the council stuffed within the pothole with concrete, however claims that the council is not going to take accountability for the life-changing accidents he suffered.
Now he plans to maneuver home due to the dangerous recollections he associates with it.
Darren mentioned: ‘I may fall at anytime. I’ve obtained a trapped nerve in my leg from these accidents and now I might be strolling round the home and my leg may simply give method so I’ve obtained to make use of a stick to maintain me upright.
‘It may occur at any time although, it’s everlasting harm. I’m caught in limbo mainly, it’s horrible actually. I’ve obtained nerve harm throughout my physique. I do have feeling in my legs and my arms. I’m proud of what I’ve obtained in the mean time as a result of I had nothing however I’m nonetheless in plenty of ache.’
Darren mentioned he nonetheless has points transferring his neck. He ‘doesn’t perceive’ why the council didn’t discover the gaping pothole.
‘I’m not going to allow them to get away with it. I’m going to battle all of them the best way,’ he mentioned.
One in every of Darren’s neighbours claims she reported the pothole to the council round six years in the past however no motion was taken.
The neighbour, who wished to stay nameless, mentioned: ‘I’ve been right here 11 years and it’s by no means been maintained since I’ve been right here.
‘I’ve complained a variety of instances, together with reporting the pothole to the council round six years in the past. They’re a joke.’
Get in contact with our information group by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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