Wet leaves on pavements

Mon 13 Dec 2021, 19:46

Some years ago I fell because of leaves on the pavement, just at the point where the path out of 9 Acres rec ground exits onto Enstone Road. Where there is a metal railing, no doubt to stop excited children running straight onto the road.

There was a deep pile of leaves totally covering the pavement and kerb, and my left foot (this was heading westwards towards the Coop down the slope from the crossroads) slipped over the edge of the obscured kerb and I was precipitated headlong onto the edge of the railingS, smashing one of my lower right jaw molars or pre-molars (counting teeth with my tongue as this is written and can't recall how many of each there are and can't be bothered to Wikipedia the answer).

The tooth was beyond repair and the dentist in Chipping Norton had to extract it - in a series of splinters.

Being such an innocent soul it didn't occur to me to sue for failing to keep the footpath clear of hazard, and it was quite some time (years) before finding out that this was possible. I should at least have been compensated enough to have an implanted "ersatz" tooth installed!

The dental surgery should have the details on record I would think, giving the approximate date of the accident and the injury sustained.

Perhaps I should, belatedly, claim now so that I can get that tooth implant after all? You read it here first if a deferred compensation suit makes it to court and public record ;->

I'm just not of a generation that has a hair-trigger "compensation culture" mindset. At the time I would have been in my late 50s or early 60s and still relatively robust of bone density and muscle tone etc, and even though it was a head injury, was able to cope with such an impact. Someone a few years older in age, when bone density and muscle strength and resilience and vascular integrity deteriates - think brain bleeds - all of which happens quite rapidly as one ages from "middle-age" towards "elderly")  ... Well the outcome for them could be far worse.

Perhaps, belatedly, I should try and get that "new" tooth paid for after all?