Man with Sleep Disorder Sues NHS for £1 Million After Nightmare Leads to Paralysis

John Nicholson, 75, who has a sleep disorder that causes his muscles to remain active during REM sleep, is seeking more than £1 million in damages from the NHS and South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust. The lawsuit stems from injuries he sustained four years ago when he fell headfirst out of bed during a violent dream, resulting in paralysis from the neck down.

Nicholson's partner, Beryl Cole, found him on the floor and called for an ambulance. According to Nicholson, the ambulance took nearly three hours to arrive at their home near Yelverton, Devon. He alleges that paramedics seated him initially and only laid him flat when his condition worsened. Nicholson and Cole both reported that the paramedics appeared uncaring, with his medical notes describing him as "dead weight" and "not making any effort to move himself."

He contends that responders should have immobilised him earlier but failed to grasp the extent of his injury. He eventually reached Derriford Hospital in Plymouth before 10 a.m. but remained in the ambulance for another six and a half hours before a CT scan revealed a fractured dislocation of his neck with spinal cord injury.

Instead of being admitted, Nicholson was returned to the ambulance, where a doctor reviewed him at 6 p.m. and recommended a neck collar. He spent approximately 12 hours in the ambulance before being admitted for neurological observation, experiencing pins and needles in his arms at that time. The following afternoon, his blood pressure dropped, and he lost the ability to move his arms and legs properly.

He spent three months at the Regional Spinal Injuries Centre at Salisbury District Hospital and now lives with incomplete paraplegia, requiring a wheelchair. Nicholson, who also suffers from Parkinson's disease, reports persistent weakness, numbness, and tingling, which he attributes to medical negligence. Before the incident, he was an active individual who enjoyed various activities, including walking his dog, socialising, swimming, and playing golf.

Both the ambulance service and the hospital trust have made partial admissions of liability. The ambulance service has admitted to a complete failure to appropriately immobilise and handle Nicholson after his fall, constituting a breach of duty. The hospital trust acknowledged that the working diagnosis was a spinal fracture and that he should have been fully immobilised pending review, rather than being sat upright in an ambulance. The trust also admitted that he should have been referred for an urgent neurosurgical review sooner. Nicholson's condition has significantly impacted his independence and daily life.