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Accidental death
A SPRIGHTLY pensioner who fell over while out on a morning stroll became paralysed over a period of four months and eventually died, an inquest heard.
Former railway worker Kenneth Chadwick, 80, of Mexborough was described at an inquest as a mobile man who used to walk two or three miles every morning.
During one of his walks, last November, Mr Chadwick was looking over a canal bridge at Old Denaby but fell onto his back when he stepped back from the edge.
His wife Edna told an earlier inquest in Rotherham that her husband was able to make it back to their home on Helena Street and there were no immediate problems.
However she said a few days later he started complaining that his arms and legs were stiff and he started to have trouble walking.
The inquest heard that Mr Chadwick went to see numerous doctors over the coming weeks as his condition gradually deteriorated.
By January, he had become "completely paralysed", the inquest was told, and he was put into 24 hour care at Mexborough's Highgrove care home.
But Mr Chadwick developed a chest infection and was taken to Rotherham Hospital on February 27. His condition worsened and he developed pneumonia and died on March 5.
Pathologist Terry Marshall conducted a post mortem examination and presented his findings at a resumed inquest in Rotherham yesterday.
Dr Marshall said the fall caused Mr Chadwick to suffer quadriplegia - paralysis affecting all four limbs - and that he had also suffered a "spinal stroke".
He registered the cause of death as pneumonia due to traumatic quadriplegia.
Deputy Coroner for South Yorkshire Fred Curtis said: "There appeared to be nothing to raise concern but sadly within a few days it was apparant that his mobility was going and ultimately there was a diagnosis of quadriplegia clearley arising from this fall."
Mr Curtis recorded a verdict of accidental death.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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