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Emily Brown
A Glasgow taxi driver has slammed his local council after an accident involving a pothole cost him £10,000 in earnings.
Grandad James Tiffoney was just walking on the road outside Tesco in Busby Road, Clarkston in December when he tripped on a pothole by the curb, causing him to fall to the ground.
"I came out of Tesco and got ready to cross the road. That's when I stepped in this large pothole - it was like a crater," he recalled.
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"The fall was terrible. I hit the ground and I was in agony. The pain was excruciating. I was in a right state. A few people came along and helped me up but I knew my ankle was broken."
The 66-year-old was rushed to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, and it was there that medics confirmed a fracture in his ankle.
He was fitted with a boot and ordered to take time off from his job as a cab driver, where he would usually earn around £1000 a week by transporting passengers back and forth from Glasgow Airport.
Having been fit and healthy before the accident, James was left infuriated at not being able to work for 10 weeks, costing him around £10k.
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"We were struggling a bit financially while I was off and I was itching to get back to work, but I'm still in a lot of pain on journeys and I've still got problems with my ankle," he said.
The cab driver complained to East Renfrewshire Council, but said they 'refused to pay out'. He's now planning to take the council to court for damages.
"Road workers then came out and patched up the pothole, but it's already crumbling again. I've absolutely no doubt that someone could trip and fall in it again," he explained. "I'm now speaking to a no win no fee lawyer."
James continued: "I'm not a feeble pensioner. I'm fit. That's why I am so angry about what happened. I haven't done anything wrong. All I did was step in a hole that shouldn't have been there."
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The grandad is now appealing for witnesses of the incident and has asked anyone who saw him fall to get in touch with him via Facebook.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for East Renfrewshire Council confirmed James' claim had been rejected.
They stated: "We're sorry to hear Mr Tiffoney suffered this injury. His claim was assessed by our insurers and rejected.
"We carry out routine safety inspections of our roads and pavements, with any safety issues, including potholes, recorded and repairs scheduled.
"We have re-inspected this site this week and although there has been slight deterioration, but it would not be classed as a safety defect."
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LADbible has contacted East Renfrewshire Council for further comment.