Blind man to get substantial award

A man who is blind after doctors allegedly failed to treat him properly following an accident settled his £1

A man who is blind after doctors allegedly failed to treat him properly following an accident settled his £1.4 million compensation case in the High Court in Belfast yesterday.

It is understood Mr Mark Falconer (35), from Warren Grove, Belfast, is to receive substantial damages. Liability was denied by Mr Falconer's GP, Dr Dermot Hoey, the Eastern Health Board and Harland and Wolff, where Mr Falconer's motorcycle was involved in a crash in 1992.

At the opening of the case two weeks ago, Mr Alan Comerton QC, for Mr Falconer, said a scan taken at Belfast City Hospital showed Mr Falconer had multiple fractures of the skull, "but he was discharged a week later and soon began to feel unwell".

Mr Falconer collapsed nearly three months later and as he recovered it was found that he was totally blind, deaf in one ear and suffered from epilepsy.