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AN ENGLISH MAN is suing airline Qatar Airways after allegedly suffering a flesh-eating spider bite on one of their flights which caused his leg to ‘burst open’.
Jonathon Hogg, a commercial lawyer from London, says he was flying to South Africa from Doha when he felt a sharp pain in his leg and saw a spider scuttling across the floor.
Within days the 40-year-old’s leg resembled “something from a horror film” according to a statement from his lawyers Slater and Gordon, via whom he is suing the airline.
“The pain was like nothing I’ve been through in my life,” Hogg said.
By the time I got to hospital my leg was bursting open, there was pus, it was black. It was a right mess. They told me if I had been any later I would have lost my leg or even died. It was terrifying.
The bite was allegedly delivered by a deadly brown recluse spider during the ten-hour flight on 7 June.
The trip to South Africa was to have seen Hogg, a keen sportsman, embarking on a dream project diving with sharks.
Venom
Upon arriving in South Africa Hogg’s leg began to swell badly, to such an extent that he sought advice as to what was happening.
Those he asked told him to seek medical attention immediately as it looked like he had sustained a spider bite.
He was rushed into surgery where he underwent the first of three operations to save his leg. Subsequently he was told he would have lost his leg, and possibly his life, if he had waited any longer.
Doctors cut away a large area of his leg which had been infected with necrotic venom.
“I knew something was wrong but I had no idea how bad it was until I spoke with the surgeon. When he told me how close I had come to losing my leg I was stunned,” Hogg said.
It really hit home when they removed the bandages and I saw what was left of my leg – it resembled something from a horror film. They had been forced to cut away so much, I was devastated.
However when I realised the extent of my injuries I also realised I was just lucky to still have my leg – even if the sight of it shocked me.
Fear of flying
Hogg spent a month in hospital and underwent a skin graft before he was finally allowed return home. However, further complications ensued.
“When I returned home I was still having problems and went to see a specialist who told me the skin graft hadn’t worked so I would need another operation,” he said.
I’m now waiting to see if it takes.
I now have a real fear of flying and I am in therapy to try and overcome it. The whole thing has been a nightmare.
Richard Duxbury, a lawyer from Slater and Gordon, said that Hogg had suffered “a harrowing experience”.
“Airlines have a responsibility to protect passengers from dangerous potential pests by properly fumigating all planes. We will now be investigating Mr Hogg’s claim to determine if there has been any wrongdoing by the airline,” Duxbury said.
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Barry Maloney, once a close friend, met him when they were teenagers and served as chief executive of Esat for five years. Now a venture capitalist at Balderton Capital, he gave evidence to the Moriarty Tribunal.
He told the inquiry that O’Brien had referred in a private conversation to political payoffs related to the mobile auction. O’Brien has said he was kidding.
When the Irish government convened a forum in October of the country’s top businessmen and foreign dignitaries — including Clinton — O’Brien was front and centre, despite the publication of the Moriarty report just seven months previously. For some, it was too much, including Maloney, who pulled out of the event in protest.
In a letter to Enda Kenny, the taoiseach, Maloney wrote: “What does it say about this government’s attitude to the unacceptable business practices exposed in that report at a huge cost to the taxpayer? Is this reflective of the new Ireland you have promised the public you want to create? I think not.”
The Times – publshed in the UK but not in the Republic of Ireland
Sorry Dingle – completely misread your post!
Apologies.
Ignore my comment above – would delete it if there was a button to do so!
“The Times – publshed in the UK but not in the Republic of Ireland”
Can you not read I said ‘the Times ‘ and far as I know ‘The Times and the Irish Times are two separate publications
The above is an extract of an article which was published in the English edition but not in the Irish edition of the English Times … I wonder why :)
No problem Barry Flanagan :)
Ignore my reply :)
Over 4 years on from the Moriarty Tribunal and the Gardai are still waiting instructions from the Athonery General why is this possible.
No, they’re waiting for instructions from the “independent” DPP, Claire Loftus, a big FG supporter.
Well done to both you chaps for good conduct re your exchanges. That’s the kind of behaviour we need more in public life.
guess who flew Clinton over on his private jet based In redacted and has been noted as being there for less than redacted days a year,
answers behind a filing cabinet,
complete charade to protect redacted and the contagion is spreading
Lets be brutally honest, for his apparent misleading of our parliament with the now infamous 19 questions, and his lack of disclosure around the liquidation of IBRC, in any other first world country Michael Noonan would have been removed as Minister for Finance at this stage.
Only The Journal’s left wing loonies would want to see Noonan gone. He has done a terrific job as the Minister for Finance.
Judging by your aviator you are part of the looney right
Is he a liar ?
Hurry up and have that crap johnny five, your face is looking more painful by the day, and it looks like it is finding it`s way out of your mouth instead.
“The smell of dole queues ”
Troll alert from somebody who is not working himself LOL
Fg will not be in government next year Johnny :)
five a tipical FG response, I see now why we need you lot out, never to be trusted again.
@Supernova Recent opinion polls show that they probably will be. Sorry Shinners. :)
Opinion polls haha :)
@Dingle Photograph:
Oh, he’s an aviator. I thought he was a spaceman!
I am not a Shinner and and please leave out the partisan politics…
It makes you look like a fool
a Trolling spaceman new one on me Mr Ward
Hahahahaha, Johnny, another squeak from the cheap seats of the rabid ranting right.
@JohhnyFive. Dream on mate. The Government has made an absolute mess of things and have rightly lost the trust of the Irish people. Fact. I predict that both the Blueshirts and Labour will be decimated in the election. Labour will completely wiped out and the Blueshirts won’t get any near power again for the next 20 years, if ever. Fact. The next Government will be a Fianna Fail led Government with Sinn Fein as Fianna Fail’s junior coalition partner. Fact. This Republican Coalition will restore dignity, transparency and accountability to Irish politics. Something which has been sadly lacking under the current shower. Fact. #RepublicansTogether
#RepublicansTogether
Warning – Troll Alert (posting gibberish to deflect from Dennis O Brien etc )
One minute dislikes Sinn Fein “I’ll bet you are a Shinner. ”
then the next minute makes the comment ” This Republican Coalition will restore dignity, transparency and accountability to Irish politics. “
i said last week he was a fg supporter all the rest is deflection one half of what he says is a prediction the other half is sh!te
Mystic Sam
Sam I think you have lost the plot. There will be a hung Dail. Nobody trusts FF they got us into this, nobody trusts FG. They lied and made the poor poorer and rich richer. Labour are Gone. So that only leaves independents and SF. Personally I wouldn’t Vote for SF as long as Adams is leader. I don’t trust him and I don’t want a member of the UK leading my country. Independents will dictate the next election.
Regina Doherty says it’s a disgrace that FG/LAB got caught helping Denis enrich himself with distressed Irish banks assets .
The same Regina Doherty who broke company law and shouldn’t even be in the Dail as a result!
So he thinks that Noonan should be priased for helping to lift this country of its knees eh? Best Finance minister eh?
We were so far down a hole that realistically the only way was up. A 6th year Leaving Cert student studying economics could have lifted this country off its knees. Nothing against the man at all on a personal level but he’s not an Economist.
Our annual interest on our loans alone amount to (i believe) over €7bn. How is this the best Finance Minister ever.
Decisions like burning bondholder to save billions were not made. This to me is a failure, not a success.
Miguel, as one of many people from West Donegal, and survivors of the hepatitis scandal, we have a lot against him on a personal level. But on a professional level as minister of finance, he has increased both the time and the overall amount to pay the EU and IMF after his party promised to write it off, economic output and growth have been stagnant, taxes have never been higher with a reduction in overall service levels. How anyone could rate this as a success would be as accurate as stating Charlie (TTIP) Flanagan is the best minister of foreign affairs we have had.
Good to hear Tommy Broughton stepping up to the plate in the Dail today all is not lost with the ex Labour man.
iw cut pipes knowing it would contaminate the water supply. health and safety must investigate. as for noonan,he looked after the well off.
Hard to argue with the economic figures during Michael Noonan’s tenure as finance minister.
“The failure by the government to act on the Moriarty Tribunal raises very, very serious questions.”
Yes following the FF plan did him and the country well
The €35 billion of private debt placed on the shoulder of us and our children shows who Noonan is fighting for and it ain’t the taxpayer.
This Government didn’t raise one objection….not even a peep because they’re too busy stuffing their own pockets to care about the people who elected them.
@Rod. Right on brother. #Talking sense
I only speaks the truth
Hmm Sam FF were dreadful but does not excuse FG’s behavior with Denis O Brien
Not really. The growing economy has been completely driven by the private sector, not the public sector. increased taxes and charges may be helping to pay Troika loans but they are also growing the numbers of working poor. He has no ability to negotiate. He has converted a negotiable promissory note into a non negotiable bond, then converted negotiable loans from the IMF into more government bonds. He has failed to get any form of deal on our debt. All he has done is stand by the side and claim credit for everything thats gone right and none that has gone wrong. He will be remembered long into the future for his failures
Our massive national debt and empty national pension funds says otherwise.
Pretty clear who the actual opposition are and it’s sure as hell ain’t ff they would just wear the blue shirts and sit on the correct side of he house
Oh. Just had my comment deleted there.
It was critical of FG policy – maybe Denis didn’t like it and sent in a legal team to The Journal?
Sssssssssssss……………ssssssssss……….sssssssssssss……….ssssssssssssss………sssssssssssssssssss………ssssssssssssssssss………..ssssssssss……………..sssssssssssssssssss……………ssssssssssssssssssssss……….ssssssssssssssssssss…………….ssssssssss………………………sssssssssss…………..said Michael.
S is one stroke short of a dollar sign, he truly is a great finance minister says his cronies.
Ha ha! Kenny making a fool of himself yesterday. Flanagan making a fool of himself today. You guys crack me up! I bet when the eu/greece thing is over and we see what deals greece got, we’ll see then how much money we’ve wasted handing back to the eu over that last few years and it’ll show noonan and kenny up as being right muppets!
One thing for sure Enda and moaning Joan will go down in history as the greatest Muppets (apart from drunken Biffo, corrupt bertie & the worst of them all “Haughey”. As the people who robbed the poor to feed the rich.
General election is imminent,this time
Edna merkel won’t be controlling the timing.Good to see Dennis o bribe being a huge factor in It’s implementation.Are we done with cute hoor I know your family pass me an envelope politics in our country..its a start hopefully.
Noonan is a fantastic minister he’s done a great job with his brief. He’s gone out of his way to make sure all the oppositions request for the inquiry’s terms of reference have been included.
It is a bit early for Bulmers Cider !!
@J’s Back. Are you having a laugh?? Noonan came in as Finance Minister when ALL the heavy lifting had already been done by Brian Lenihan and the previous Fianna Fail Government. Fact. Noonan couldn’t hold a candle to great Finance Ministers like Ray MacSherry, Charlie McCreevy and of course, Brian Lenihan. Fact. It is all getting embarrassing at this stage. This Government is, without doubt, THE WORST government in the history of the State. Fact. The sooner they have enough shame to finally throw in the towel the better. Blueshirts and Labour Out Out Out. #BringBackThePatriots
Hmm Sam playing partisan politics
Cowen’s govt was def the worst in the history of the State ..
I suspect you are Trolling with comments like “Blueshirts and Labour Out Out Out. #BringBackThePatriots”
If so very silly and childish
@DinglePhotographer. You obviously don’t have a clue about the recent history of this State. Cowen’s Government saved this Country from economic ruin. If any other party had been in Government at the time Ireland would be in a worse state than Greece now. Fact. Are you saying that you are not playing partisan politics?? Don’t make me laugh. You are of course!!! I’ll bet you are a Shinner. And I am so so sorry that my comment did not meet the very high standards that you obviously expect on the Journal.ie #Sarcasm
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
“Cowen’s Government saved this Country from economic ruin” – Troll Comment – FACT
I actually come from a FF background but at present have no affiliation with any political party
Brian Cowen has essentially been disowned by his own party ..
I suspect you are posting your gibberish to make FG etc look sane / good .. in other words you are deflecting from the Denis O Brien / IBRC debate …
again very juvenile / childish
@Dingle Photographer. Again with the conspiracy theories. Look if you don’t believe the fact Cowen’s Government saved this Country from economic ruin I am not going to argue with you because what’s the point. I have noticed from your other posts that you keep telling people who don’t agree with you to stop engaging in partisan politics. Who died and made you the Arbiter of what can and cannot be said in the comments section of the Journal.ie? Your need to try to assert some kind of authority is obviously an attempt to overcompensate for something else that is missing in your REAL life. I find it quite amusing. It also amuses me the way you accuse myself and others of being trolls. Dingle Photographer obviously being your real name. #TheTruthHurts
keep trolling dude ..
i have a life and dealing with guys like you is not one of them ..
all your posts here do not mention Denis O Brien / IBRC
That clearly states you have an agenda and it is obvious you are a FG hack ..
do not get so upset when caught out
Sure thing Mr Photographer. Or may I call you Dingle? It being your real name and all. You have a life? Really? Thats why you have already posted about a million posts on this article alone? Fact.
Fact. What’s fact Sam Robertson? Everything you’ve said is opinion. Fact.
@Dingle Photographer. Because I don’t want to get sued for defamation
Was very pleased with all the contributions from the opposition yesterday.
Seán Fleming of FF was really hitting home about the lack of action on Moriarty Tribunal’s findings.
Doherty’s contribution and particularly his new revelations made for a very strong performance.
Opposition finally got serious and made Government TDs look like a bunch of amateurs.
Why are comments about dodgy Dennis and Enda removed???
It would appear that any possible prospective INM hacks have gone down again with a reoccuring, self-limiting case of Injuctivitis!
That Delusional Shower have moved from Cuckoo Land to another Fantasy Land
Now FG & lab kicked the can down the road and will give the usual tripe this being invested by a judge and can’t comment on it ! Think we will have an election before end of 2015 !
IMO it’s worth 4 million to expose the corruption!! Here’s to hoping it does!!
Noonan’s success or otherwise will be easily evaluated in time.
The Greek situation is nearing end game. Before long we will know whether the Greek or Irish approaches have been the right one. Given the social upheaval and genuine poverty suffered by the Greeks, right now it might appear that the Irish have had the right approach, but if they end up getting a serious write down (which is not extended to us) it may well be justified.
Whether the Government is proven right or wrong by Greece, there will be no payoff for them. if Greece gets a deal, the Government will be seen as having made the wrong decisions. If there is no deal and Greece defaults, the economic earthquake will stall the growth in Ireland and the Government will suffer.
The man who thought it was al right for the liquidator to investigate what happened says he is confident all facts will be uncovered. Yeah right I believe him….
SF/IRA would want anything about the Quinns secret deals revealed. Typical Irish politics.
Sam Robertson really? ??? “A Million post FACT ” there are onlY 67 COMMENTS AS OF NOW!
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