Worker died after 2 years spent in coma

Robert Anthony Gate, known as Tony, died on February 19, 2006, in a nursing home in Peterlee, County Durham.

He was in a persistent vegetative state and required 24-hour care following the road accident in July 2003.

A pathologist's report, read out at an inquest at Darlington County Court yesterday, said Mr Gate died as a result of bilateral pneumonia following a severe traumatic brain injury.

Mr Gate, who was 50 at the time of the accident and 52 when he died, suffered serious head injuries when he struck a kerb in West View Road, Hartlepool, in July 2003.

He was part of a three-man gang who were about to start work resurfacing part of the road.

Edward Adams, a colleague, told the inquest that Mr Gate had just placed the first sign to warn drivers of the work when the accident happened.

They were near the junction at the Brus roundabout. Mr Adams turned away and was only alerted to the accident by shouts.

He said: "I looked up and could not see Tony but I could the sign. There was a lot of traffic there and then the next thing I knew there was someone tending to Tony."

Julie Verrall was driving the red Ford Escort, which was in collision with Mr Gate.

Ms Verrall, then 28, who had passed her test the previous year, had dropped her 12-year-old daughter off at school.

She said: "I saw him on the left- hand side of me. The next minute, I saw his foot go out onto the road. There was nothing I could do because he was right on me."

She immediately pulled over and said an ambulance had been passing on the other side which came to Mr Gate's aid.

Cones were placed around him in the road before he was taken to hospital suffering from serious head injuries.

PC Jonathan Webb, who helped investigate the accident, said: "All the findings (of the crash unit) was that it was a pedestrian error. We found Mr Gate stepped into the road without due care and that was the reason for the accident."

The inquest continues.