Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
Widow of Mesothelioma Victim Receives Compensation
14th February 2011
Our specialist industrial disease team recently recovered compensation for the widow of a man whose life was tragically taken by the asbestos-related disease, mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a fatal form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. It primarily occurs as a lung cancer, but in a small percentage of cases it occurs in the abdomen or the area surrounding the heart.
Our client’s late husband was exposed to asbestos through his work at large chemical plants, where he was employed as a labourer and fitter’s mate. The pipe work and boilers in the plants were lagged with asbestos and he would often work in close proximity to the laggers as they mixed and applied the lagging. Our client would also have to chip away asbestos from the pipes when one of the fitters or electricians needed to carry out a repair, and he worked within teams stripping entire systems of their lagging during shut down periods. This was very dusty work and the environment would often be filled with airborne asbestos fibres. He would then have to brush up and remove all the dust and debris from the floor after the work was completed.
Despite the deadly nature of asbestos dust, our client was not provided with adequate personal protective equipment to prevent him from inhaling it and he was never warned about the dangers by his employers.
A previously fit and active man, our client began to experience a lot of pain and could no longer continue with his normal activities. X-rays and a scan confirmed the presence of a tumour in his lung. His condition became more and more debilitating over time and, despite having radiotherapy treatment to attempt to slow the progress of the disease, he sadly died within months of his diagnosis, leaving behind a devastated family.
Industrial Disease Claim
The victim initially approached us for help shortly after his diagnosis and we began a claim against his former employers. Unfortunately it was not possible to conclude the case during his lifetime, however we continued to pursue the claim on behalf of his widow.
The Defendants admitted liability and we were able to obtain an interim payment whilst the case was in progress. We secured total damages of £130,000 on our client’s behalf. This sum took into account various factors, including the pain and suffering her late husband endured as a result of his illness, the loss of his life expectancy and an amount of bereavement damages. Also included was compensation in respect of the financial pressures caused by the loss of her husband, due to the loss of income from his pension and loss of services he previously provided (gardening, DIY, decorating, house maintenance etc).
Expert Legal Advice
If you or a member of your family is suffering from an asbestos-related illness, you may be in a position to claim compensation. It may also be possible to make a claim in respect of a deceased relative.
Contact The Legal Line on 0800 0328511, or by completing a claim enquiry form online, for cost-free, expert legal advice.
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