James Geoffrey Stalker, who died last year at the age of 69, received the transfusion in 1989 following a car accident.

A coroner has now ruled that his death was "avoidable" and could be directly attributed to that transfusion.

James Stalker, also known as Geoff, was impacted by the infected blood scandal. (Image: Supplied by family)

Mr Stalker - who was known as Geoff - had long suspected he was among thousands of victims of the national infected blood scandal.

However, he and his family had long struggled for definitive answers, with his medical records destroyed via routine procedure, and he died having never received a penny in compensation.

An inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court heard how Mr Stalker, who owned oil and gas businesses, had been involved in a serious car crash in Belgium in 1989 on a road back to Antwerp, close to the Dutch border.

He was taken to hospital in the Netherlands where an x-ray revealed swelling and five hairline fractures of the pelvis.

Within days a medical evacuation was arranged to take Mr Stalker to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (N&N).

Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (Image: Newsquest)

On arrival, no loss of blood was detected and the pelvis was allowed to heal naturally with ongoing physiotherapy for........

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