A MAN died in a Southampton hospital several weeks after falling and hitting his head, causing bleeding on the brain, an inquest heard.

Roger Williams, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, fell down 13 stairs at his Bournemouth home and, despite X-rays showing no abnormalities, he later developed a bleed on the brain.

The 67-year-old was admitted to hospital in Bournemouth on three occasions before he was sent to Southampton General Hospital’s Wessex Neurological Centre after doctors found that the bleed had increased in size and was putting significant pressure on the brain.

An operation to ease that pressure was successful but a re-bleed required a second operation and although the post-mortem revealed that the brain had recovered, Mr Williams died a few days later on January 8.

Southampton Coroner’s Court heard from the pathologist who carried out the post-mortem that the direct cause of death was respiratory failure caused by a blood clot in the lung, possibly as a result of being in hospital for some time, and emphysema. However, the coroner was told that it was the fall that was the trigger for the events that occurred and that it was probably the Parkinson’s that caused the weakness in Mr Williams’ leg that resulted in that fall.

Coroner Keith Wiseman recorded a verdict of death from natural causes.