A man who was left brain-damaged after emergency medical staff twice failed to treat him for a head injury has received a ‘‘seven-figure’’ compensation settlement to pay for the cost of his round-the-clock care.

Joseph Neale, from Seghill in Northumberland, received an undisclosed settlement from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, after a civil hearing in Newcastle.

The former fork lift truck driver was twice given an emergency referral by his GP to North Tyneside Hospital for a suspected serious brain injury after he fell from a skip in summer 2002.

Mr Neale had been vomiting, had a throbbing headache over his right eye and was suffering from drowsiness.

Following the first referral, to the Accident and Emergency unit, he was discharged without treatment, and the second time, to the Medical Admission Unit, he was placed on a general ward without receiving emergency medical treatment.

Only when his condition deteriorated overnight did medical staff become concerned and sent him for a scan that revealed a subdural haematoma - bleeding on the brain - and Mr Neale had to be rushed to Newcastle General Hospital for emergency treatment.

Mr Neale survived the surgery but was left with a serious brain injury and now requires 24 hour care.

His daughter, Helen Todd, said: ‘‘The simple fact is, had my father been treated correctly, he would not be in this situation now.

‘‘The levels of care he now needs are huge - essentially 24 hours a day. It is incredibly distressing to see someone you love in that condition, but for it to have happened as a result of someone else’s errors makes it even more galling.

‘‘It is such a relief to know that my father can now be given the care and long-term support that he needs.’’ A spokesman for Mr Neale’s solicitors firm, Irwin Mitchell, said the pay-out was ‘‘a seven-figure settlement’’.

The money will allow Mr Neale, now 65, to move out of his Northumberland care home and into his own house close to his daughter.

Angela Kirtley, solicitor and clinical negligence specialist at the firm, said: ‘‘Mr Neale and his family are extremely pleased that this claim has finally settled and compensation received will certainly contribute to Joseph’s quality of life in the future.

‘‘The assistance of the Trust and their solicitors has helped in dealing with Mr Neale’s claim as there was an early admission of liability and we have been able to work closely with the Trust’s solicitors to ensure that Mr Neale has obtained fair and deserved compensation.’’ Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust apologised to Mr Neale and his family, saying his treatment ‘‘fell below the Trust’s usual high standards’’.

Steve Russell, executive director of emergency care at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘‘We would like to again express our sincere apologies to Mr Neale and his family for the level of care he received in 2002.

‘‘We carried out thorough investigations into the standard of Mr Neale’s treatment and accept that unfortunately this fell below the Trust’s usual high standards.

‘‘Since this time, changes have been implemented, we have extended the amount of senior consultant cover we have in the A&E department and diagnostic tests have become more readily available.’’