Investigation and inquest
On 05/02/2016 I commenced an investigation into the death of Dennis Thomas Lavington aged 84. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 12 December 2016. The conclusion of the inquest was Road traffic collision
Circumstances of the death
At about 12.45 on 13 January 2016 Dennis Lavington was crossing the car park outside Adelaide Health Centre at Millbrook Southampton using a walking frame when his frame was struck by a Vauxhall Zafira taxi reversing across the car park and he fell to the ground and struck his head, as a result of which he suffered concussion. He was taken to Southampton General Hospital and admitted but later developed pneumonia and died there of Hospital Acquired Pneumonia due to Chronic Kidney Disease, Previous Myocardial Infarction, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Emphysema, Concussion following Road Traffic Collision
Coroner’s concerns
The layout of the health centre car park leads to a potential conflict between pedestrians and car drivers. Whilst there is a drop off point outside the entrance, many of the patients are likely to be parking in the disabled parking spaces and they then have to cross the car park to reach the entrance. If there was a dedicated crossing or a marked path around the edge of the car park with improved signage, this would minimise the risk of a similar incident.