The cause of a quad bike crash that killed an Orkney farmer remains unexplained, a sheriff has determined during a Fatal Accident Inquiry.
Arnold Mathers died at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary following a fall from the Suzuki Quad Runner 250 which overturned.
He suffered extensive respiratory injuries on the morning of July 7 2020 at his Tormiston Farm near the village of Stenness.
The 53-year-old, who worked on the farm since the age of 16, passed away the next month on August 22.
A probe into the father-of-three’s accidental death was mandatory because Mr Mathers lost his life at his place of work.
The causes of death were:
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (clinical diagnosis)
- Complications of chest injuries
- Incident whilst working on a farm
- Interstitial lung disease
On the day he was injured, the “experienced user” of a quad bike was among a group of three people moving cows from one field to another.
Hearings at Kirkwall Sheriff Court noted that “although proceeding at a moderate speed, Mr Mathers was seen to turn his bike sharply to the left”.
The determination by Sheriff Mungo Bovey QC added: “Mr Mathers did not position his body adequately to prevent it from overturning.”
But the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) also concluded: “It is not possible to determine whether the quad bike overturned because of a momentary lapse or unidentified circumstances.”
No notable risks on field
Inspection of the scene of the accident found nothing which might have caused it.
The field is “relatively flat and did not present any notable risks,” the report stated.
Proceedings identified no procedural defects or unsafe working practices and also found no potential precautions which might have prevented the accident.
The inquiry considered that “the quad bike was in good condition and was well maintained”.
It also noted: “Mr Mathers had over 10 years’ experience in driving the relevant type of quad bike.”
Existing issues impeded treatment
Underlying health conditions had previously challenged the farmer on a day-to-day basis.
As a child, Mr Mathers was diagnosed with Sarcoidosis. When he was in his
20s, he was diagnosed with Farmer’s Lung.
Doctors believed the existing medical issues were impeding their patient’s ability to respond positively to treatment for complications arising from the quad bike crash.
On August 17 2020, Mr Mathers decided to stop receiving treatment after “no progress had been made over the previous weeks”.
He was sedated, made comfortable and medical support was removed on August 22, when Mr Mathers died later that day with his family by his bedside.
Medical complications
Forensic medical examiners who carried out a post mortem considered it most likely that Mr Mathers died as the result of complications of chest injuries sustained whilst working on a farm.
They noted that the complications caused an “irreversible respiratory failure” which led to Mr Mathers’ death.
Following the tragedy, his sister Avril Hay launched a fundraising campaign to raise money for the British Lung Foundation.
She raised more than £8,400 by walking the equivalent distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats, which is over 1,000 miles.
‘Much loved and highly respected’
Mr Mather’s wife Angela also paid tribute to him.
She said: “Arnold was a much loved and highly respected man amongst the family, friends and the wider community within Orkney and further afield.”
The widow regards her husband’s death as a simple accident and felt it would be too upsetting to hear the circumstances rehearsed during the inquiry’s proceedings.
