A grandad has been left stranded – while unable to walk and suffering with nerve damage – in a hospital in Croatia following a horror fall on holiday due to an insurance change
A British grandad has been left stuck abroad in a hospital, with serious injuries, after an insurance error has meant doctors can no longer help him.
Brian Ackroyd, 65, was rushed to hospital after he fractured his neck, skull and suffered multiple bleeds on the brain when he fell on the first day of his holiday. Horror struck after the father-of-three, who lives in Lancashire, fell while away in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and how now been left with nerve damage and is unable to walk. Brian spent says in intensive care and was transferred to a neurology ward, in Dubrovnik General, but this is where his treatment stopped.
The grandad’s desperate family has launched an appeal to being him back to the UK.
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Brian’s family said doctors in Dubrovnik told them they were unable to help the severely injured Brit anymore and he needed to be taken back to the UK for intensive treatment, according to TeesideLive.
The Brit, originally from Teeside, had been insured with Admiral however his family said he failed to disclose a recent visit to his GP and the fact he had type two diabetes. Underwriters therefore deemed his case null and void. The insurance company said it can’t comment on the specific case without his permission. Admiral said it has made a goodwill payment to help with costs, but the family says it won’t cover the medical flight home.
Brian’s son Richard said: “Being 65 it seems he wasn’t the best with inputting his details and medical records on a computer online. My father is not very good with computers and didn’t input on his policy that he was diabetic or had seen his GP three or four months earlier.”
Richard said Admiral sent the family £5,000 but claimed a medical flight back to the UK could set them back tens of thousands. The son said: “The accident had nothing to do with any of these things. It was a simple accident. But sure enough, the insurance has pulled out and given us an estimate of between £35,000 and £40,000 to get him the medical flight back to the UK.”
Brian’s son said his dad fell while walking around the village of Cavtat on a publicly accessible walkway, on October 27, and “must have lost his footing or balance and went backwards but headfirst into a crevice”.
Richard said: “He smashed his head off one rock and ended upside down trapped with his head twisted, just bleeding out.” Locals called the emergency services who rushed Brian to a local hospital. His son said: “The hospital is saying he needs to be back in the UK in an intensive rehabilitation centre.”
Richard claimed Admiral voided the travel insurance after initially informing the family they were going to repatriate Brian to the UK, saying: “Friday they said they would medically evacuate on medical jet despite him missing the diabetic statement. Yesterday they got the GP report that says he had been for an appointment two or three months earlier for a non-related issue. After them being made aware of this they cancelled the policy in full.
“They said to his partner that he’s done it once and we’ve found that he’s done it twice and it’s almost like fraud. He’s 65, worked all his life and and has saved up all year for a holiday and all they’re thinking is he’s trying to defraud them?
“I think he would have rather not have fallen over and broken his neck, fractured his skull and had bleeds on the brain. He can’t use his hands and there is no TV in the hospital, he can’t even sit up, so he is just left laid in there staring at the ceiling and the walls.”
Brian worked as a truck driver until he had to retire due to prostate cancer and his partner Debbie said he did have savings but had to use them following his diagnosis as he was unable to work. She added that repatriation assistance group Charles Taylor had been “amazing” and is still trying to help the family, but the insurance writers continue to refuse to pay out.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help fund the costs and has raised more than £9,000 so far. Heartbroken Debbie said: “The doctors say he’s deteriorating every day and they have got him as best that they can but it is not a hospital which offers intensive rehabilitation and physiotherapy which Brian needs.”
A spokesperson for Admiral said: “We are aware Mr Ackroyd is currently receiving ongoing care and treatment at a public hospital. We are in contact with them and will continue to monitor his situation. We never take the decision to refuse a claim lightly, we understand how stressful and costly this can be.
“We’re really sorry to hear about the injuries he has suffered and as a gesture of goodwill, we have made an offer of an ex-gratia payment to assist with costs and his return home.” The spokesperson added: “It’s important to note these undisclosed conditions were not the only reason for his claim being declined.”