My Injury Details
MY INJURY DETAILS
By
Kasper Lewis
I take health and safety very seriously and the actor I cast who fell on me I had searched very carefully for.
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I found an actor who is on Spotlight, with Equity & has an agent. On his profile his age is listed and it said he’s London based.
Having asked him if he had any health problems he told me none whatsoever. He also told me he works as a West End nightclub bouncer so I assumed he was a fit strong healthy guy.
On the day of the shoot he turned up on time but looked noticeably older than his picture.
The first shot was him being a corpse. I asked him to lay down and with much painful groaning it took him 5 mins to lay down flat. That was the first warning sign.
I poured maggots on his face for that shot. Then when I asked him to stand up again it took him a while with groans and complaining of dodgy back.
Then as I dressed the set I noticed he had bought a fold up chair with him and was flopped in it for the whole time between shots smoking roll ups.
There was a shot where he was required to jog around 15 feet. After the first take he was completely puffed out and begging for a break. He then went and flopped in his chair out of breath.
I joked with him that I should have cast a younger fitter actor but inside I was seething that he blatantly was not fit and healthy.
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Despite my annoyance at this filming had been going well and the light was amazing, it was a beautiful sunny day.
Then to the shot which ended up with my leg getting broken.
I was meant to come up behind him chasing him slowly then put my arms around his waist and slowly lower him to the ground.
It was explained clearly, several times we would lower him down together; him gently lowering himself. The plan being to then speed up the footage in the edit.
We practised it and it went fine.
Then when action was called I came up behind him, put my arms round his waist. He suddenly lost control of his whole body and fell back on me with his full 16 stone bodyweight - onto my left leg.
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There was a really loud CRACK and I was in agony. Bone was poking out at the ankle and my foot was hanging off by the skin.
I was in such shock I felt I’d either throw up or pass out. It was evening by then and cold.
I had to wait one hour and 15 mins for the ambulance. This actor had a very guilty look on his face.
Thankfully my mate Dave was there who owns the land to wait with me.
The pain was intense.
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Then hospital, and major surgery to put in permanent 25 inch rod that reaches from knee to ankle, 3 holes drilled in ankle to put screws in and two screws at the knee.
I Woke up in the recovery room in more pain than I’ve ever known literally scream out loud pain.
Having gone through a week being hospitalised the day after I got home I noticed my foot had turned slightly purple.
I'd been told that any colouring would be bruising nothing to worry about but I decided to call 111 to be safe.
They suggested I phone an ambulance.
The paramedics came and I was told the leg & foot had got infected. If I hadn’t gone back to hospital I could have been dead.
I went back to hospital on a Saturday night all the drunks clogging up A&E, we were queued up in a corridor I went on my phone and read about infections and how serious they are they can kill you in 48hours. I was in a panic.
I had wondered why I had been given NO antibiotics to go home with after surgery.
This was the result of not being given any.
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Another week in hospital, tears of pain daily with my foot literally feeling like it’s on fire, despite pain relief given. I was given very strong antibiotics pumped into my blood stream to clear the infection. Bag after bag of them pumped into my veins.
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Throughout all this the actor had not bothered to contact me not even a text.
So as you can see a totally GUILTY person.
He knew he had told me that he was in good health.
I have since discovered he is aged 62 and lives in Eastbourne not London.
He had Osteoarthritis - a condition which can lead to you losing control of your body. But had not declared it.
I'm in the process of taking action with my solicitor who has been amazing.
I spent months in a wheelchair with my 73 year old mother my only family as carer.
She was an amazing help.
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Just 5 months after the accident I went against doctors advice and Produced & Directed a major scene for my film at Burnham Beeches.
I couldn't even walk properly & was in extreme pain but I I hid it well. I was determined not to let the injury hold me back and crack on with my film.
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Now exactly one year later I'm still in pain daily the feeling of a the rod stabbing the flesh inside my leg daily, they have decided to take the rod out now so I will be undergoing major surgery again in May.
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I'm a fighter and I have been all my life, people go through worse & no mattter what I'm determined to complete this film, make it something special and help bullied and suicidal teens & create positive change for them.
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THANKS FOR READING X
Kasper Lewis
Producer & Director
Kasper Lewis
Dream Hard Films
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Email: kaslewis@yahoo.co.uk
http://dreamhardfilms.wixsite.com/dreamhardfilms
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