A man who tripped on a flower pot, fractured his skull and died due to the injury, an inquest has heard.
David Dignam (51) from Priory Drive, Celbridge, Co Kildare was speaking to someone behind him when he tripped over one of two heavy plant pots located at the entrance to a building. Mr Dignam, who helped with maintenance and ground works at Horizon, a service attached to St John of God community service in Liffey Valley, apologised to staff for breaking the pot.
A nurse notified by a service user found Mr Dignam bleeding heavily from the head.
“He said ‘I’m sorry I broke the flower pot’. There was blood on his face, eyes, hands and clothes,” the nurse said.
Mr Dignam was not a day attendee of Horizon but ate lunch with service users and staff when he was carrying out grounds work, Dublin Coroner’s Court heard.
Maintenance crew member Brendan O’Neill described him as a ‘free spirit’ who chose his own tasks to complete within the grounds.
“He was tidying leaves that day,” Mr O’Neill said.
Staff rushed to his aid and called an ambulance. It was noted that the gash on the man’s temple was smaller than expected but he became pale and he lost consciousness for a moment before coming to and answering questions. However his condition deteriorated again and he began to vomit.
Mr Dignam was taken to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, Dublin. He had a background of Apert Syndrome, a genetic disorder characterised by the premature fusion of some of the skull bones.
His condition made him far more vulnerable to sustaining a skull fracture, the inquest heard. Mr Dignam developed a hemorrhage and bleeding on the brain and the decision was taken not to operate because of the risk to his life due to a weakened heart.
The cause of death was cardio respiratory arrest due to raised intra-cranial pressure in the context of a left skull fracture. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane returned a verdict of accidental death.