Doctors not to blame for former Express & Star worker's death
Doctors have been cleared of wrong-doing after a beloved father died unexpectedly three days after he was sent home from hospital.
An inquest has ruled that long-serving Express & Star worker Graham Brown who was found dead at his home in Wombourne in April, died as a result of an accident.
Devastated family members including daughters Deborah and Joanna feared doctors had made light of the 78-year-old's ill health and missed a rupture to his liver.
But at the hearing on Tuesday Staffordshire Coroner Andrew Haigh concluded that Mr Brown had in fact died of an extremely rare medical complication which would have been near impossible to detect.
Mr Brown, fondly known as Joe by colleagues at the Express & Star where he worked for more 30 years as chauffeur and commissionaire, fell down the stairs at his daughter's home on Easter Sunday this year.
He went to Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital the following day complaining of back pain and an x-ray revealed he had a cracked rib, the inquest heard.
Mr Graham was already on pain relief medication due to other health problems so he was sent home from the hospital.
He was still in severe discomfort the next day and saw a GP, who family members claimed was 'unsympathetic' towards him.
Mr Graham passed away at his home on April 9, two days later.
A post mortem revealed he had suffered a delayed 'catastrophic rupture' to the liver as a result of the fall four days earlier.
Pathologist Terrence Hollingworth said: "In this case the rupture followed the trauma which is an extremely rare set of circumstances.
"I have done 10,000 post mortems and not seen anything similar to this. It is so unusual I don't suppose I will see another case."
In his conclusion Mr Haigh added: "It is quite clear to me this was a very, very rare occurrence.
"It is not something clinicians were likely to have anticipated.
"This was a tragedy waiting to happen."
Afterwards the family said the hearing had given them some closure as their questions had been answered.
"He was just a loving, great and generous man," they added.
Mr Brown joined the Express & Star in 1970 and retired in 2002. The front of house attendant said the highlight of his long service was meeting Prince Charles in 1997 when he visited the Queen Street headquarters in Wolverhampton.
