Paralysed dad died after contracting pneumonia
A MUCH-LOVED dad-of-four who was left paralysed after a freak fall down stairs died in hospital after contracting pneumonia, an inquest heard.
Former industrial cleaner Keith Johnson, 60, passed away on June 25 last year after being admitted to James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough. An inquest looking into Mr Johnson’s death took place at Teesside Coroner’s Court on Thursday and heard an accident left him paralysed from the neck down.
The Eston grandad was attending a wedding anniversary party on August 1, 2020, when he fell down the stairs and broke his spinal chord at his C3 vertebrae.
Ms Johnson also suffered a collapsed lung and pneumonia and was in intensive care for two weeks. The inquest heard despite his health, the Farndale Walk resident lived a “good life” but was in and out of hospital due to his low immune system.
Documentary evidence claimed the dad was suffering from shortness of breath and a persistent cough prior to his passing. After being put on a course of antibiotics Mr Johnson showed no improvement and his family repeatedly raised concerns over his health. The inquest heard they demanded he be taken to hospital and he was admitted to ward 1 at James Cook on the evening of June 9. Sadly he passed away just two weeks later.
Documentary evidence from the family said despite his health he still managed days out and holidays. It reads: “Keith had an accident on the 1st of August 2020. He fell down a set of stairs which led him to become paralysed from the neck down.
“He was in hospital until the 30th of December 2020.
“He had a good life even though he was paralysed, he went out for days with family and family holidays. Keith was always in and out of hospital for minor illnesses due to him having a low immune system due to his accident.”
The court heard after his death, a post-mortem was carried out and his medical cause of death was recorded as 1a respiratory failure from pneumonia, 1b COPD, 1c tetraplegia.
Recording a narrative verdict, Benjamin Haigh Assistant Coroner for Teesside and Hartlepool said: “I find that Keith Johnson died on the 25th of June 2023 at James Cook University Hospital. He had suffered an accidental fall in August 2020 resulting in tetraplegia. Keith Johnson already had COPD, he was admitted to James Cook on 9th of June 2023. He developed pneumonia and sadly died on 25th of June 2023.”