Man dies from infection seven years after being hit by car near Molineux
A man died from a kidney infection linked to the serious injuries he suffered when he was hit by a car more than seven years earlier, an inquest heard.
David Duffy ran out in front of a Ford Fiesta car on Waterloo Road by Molineux in December 2006, giving the driver too little time to brake. He was struck by the car and thrown into the air, suffering a serious brain injury, Smethwick Coroner's Court heard.
Dr William Fuggle, a consultant pathologist at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, carried out the post-mortem.
He said: "He had a traumatic head injury following a road traffic collision some years ago."
Mr Duffy, 45, had been living in Wrottesley Park House care home, Tettenhall, due to his injuries.
The court heard he became suddenly ill around 6am on April 15 last year and staff's attempts to cool his head with a wet cloth were insufficient so he was taken to hospital, where he died the same day.
The post-mortem later revealed he had signs of chronic infection in his kidneys and bladder.
Dr Michael Foster, a consultant urologist, gave a statement in evidence saying Mr Duffy needed a catheter as a result of his car accident, and communication problems from the loss of brain tissue he suffered most likely left him incapable of mentioning his infection to care home staff. That meant there was 'a relationship between the accident and his death', according to Dr Foster.
The medical cause of death was recorded as toxaemia and pyelonephritis.
Gavin Chambers was a passenger in a car at the time of the Ford Fiesta hitting Mr Duffy and his statement was added to the inquest's file. Mr Chambers said the Fiesta driver had no time to brake.
Robin Balmain, Senior Coroner for the Black Country, concluded the death was due to an accident.
