A cancer patient died after tripping over on his way to the toilet and hitting his head.
Charles Haley, of Poplar Close, Witham, had been admitted to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford on December 30 after complaining of a shortage of breath.
PC Jeremy Spencer told an inquest into 83-year-old Mr Haley's death at Chelmsford Coroner's Court yesterday that he was in the accident and emergency department of the hospital for several hours and while there he fell and hit his head.
"He was then kept in an emergency ward and on January 3 he was found to have high potassium levels in his body.
"Mr Haley's condition appeared to improve, but on January 5 he went to go to the toilet and tripped on the way, causing him to hit his head," he said.
Stitches were put into a head wound and he was sent back to bed.
At 2am on January 6, hospital staff found no response from him and it was confirmed that he had died, the inquest heard.
A post-mortem showed Mr Haley had suffered acute subdural haematoma. Conditions present but not the main cause of death were ventricular and renal failure and colon and prostate cancer.
Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Published Thursday August 19, 2004
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