A 43-year-old man died from a blood clot after falling down stairs at his home, an inquest heard.
Philip O'Neil, of Faulkner Road, Newton Aycliffe, broke his left leg in the fall.
An inquest in Darlington was told that the injury had caused deep vein thrombosis, and a blood clot which developed in the leg eventually travelled to his lung.
Mr O'Neil was found dead on Saturday, three days after the fall.
His brother, David, said he spoke to Mr O'Neil by telephone on the day of his death. He seemed confused and told his brother that he had called an ambulance.
Half an hour later, when David O'Neil called at the house, he found his brother had been taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital.
South West Durham and Darlington Coroner Colin Penna recorded a verdict of accidental death
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