15 June 2023 , 21:15
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A taxi driver wants to take a council to court after he reportedly lost £10,000 in earnings when he fell over a pothole and broke his ankle.
James Tiffoney, 66, was left in extreme pain after a nasty fall on the road outside Tesco Clarkston in Glasgow back in December.
The grandad-of-one, from the town of Renfrew, was rushed to hospital and told he had a fracture, reports the Daily Record.
He was fitted with a boot and told to take time off work - a situation which has hit the driver hard financially.
Recalling the horror incident, James said: "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.
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The grandad-of-one was rushed to hospital after breaking his ankle in the fall (UGC)"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.
"I complained to the council but they refused to pay out. 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."
James, who transports passengers back and forth from Glasgow Airport, was unable to return to his job for 10 weeks after the incident - something he claims has cost him £10,000 in lost earnings
James, who transports passengers back and forth from Glasgow Airport, says the incident has cost him £10,000 in lost income (Getty Images)He is now planning to take East Renfrewshire Council to court for damages after claiming they refused to take responsibility for his injury.
Mr Tiffoney added: "I've missed 10 weeks of work where I would usually earn around £1,000 a week.
"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."
James, who worked in the oil industry before retiring and becoming a taxi driver, also said he was fit and healthy before his accident - making him angry that the council had not taken responsibility for his broken bone.
A spokesperson for East Renfrewshire Council told the Record: "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.
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"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."