A man has received a substantial accident compensation payout after he fell into a hole in a park and was forced to have his leg amputated as a result.
The man was walking his dog on Suffolk Road Recreation Ground in Barnes, Richmond upon Thames, in May 2006, when he accidentally put his foot into a large 10-inch deep hole that was hardly visible.
He fell over and fractured his leg in three places, causing injuries so serious that he was forced to have several metal plates fitted in order to try and help the injury to heal. However, one of the metal plates broke, causing an infection within his leg and he was then forced to have the limb removed.
The man applied for accident compensation from Richmond Council, who oversee the park, according to Your Local Guardian. Despite the council denying all liability for the hole and other indentations in the park – which had been complained about before by other park users – it lost a court case at the end of last year.
Initially, the council decided to appeal the case, but the matter has now been settled out of court, with the man receiving a compensation payout of £160,000.
The man said that he was 'happy' with the decision but would still 'rather have his leg back'.