Accident verdict at inquest on 84-year-old Wolverhampton man in bus fall
An 84-year-old Wolverhampton man died after the bus he boarded pulled away with a "jerk", causing him to lose his footing and fall, an inquest was told.
William Fieldhouse suffered a fractured arm on the National Express West Midlands bus on January 5 as driver Satnam Singh pulled away from the stop in Snow Hill, Wolverhampton.
The retired account clerk lost his footing, hit a seat and fell to the floor. He went to New Cross Hospital but suffered a pulmonary embolism and died on January 22.
Black Country coroner Robin Balmain ruled: "On the balance the pulmonary embolism was due to the fall and fracture. Death was due to an accident."
Stepson Chris Morris, of Codsall, spoke to Mr Fieldhouse on the day he fell.
He said yesterday: "He said he boarded the bus in Snow Hill and as he was walking towards his seat, the bus started off.
"He fell and hit one of the seats. He said the bus started off with a jerk."
Mr Singh, a National Express driver for 21 years, said: "He was the last person to board the bus and had no difficulties getting on. He did not say anything to me about waiting until he had sat down before I set off.
"I pulled away smoothly."
He said that Mr Fieldhouse was halfway down the bus as he set off and he thought it was safe to do so.
After the inquest step daughter-in-law, retired nurse Ruth Morris, said: "He had to use a stick to walk but mentally he was fantastic. Everyone thought he was a lovely chap.
"He was very caring and active. He loved dancing.
"We don't want anything like this to happen to anyone else in the future. Why can't bus drivers just wait until an elderly person has sat down before they set off?"
Mr Fieldhouse, of Woodhouse Road, Tettenhall, had two step-children and five step-grandchildren.
Wife Annie Rose, known as Nancy, died in 2009.
By Laura Blyth
