Exposed to asbestos at work
The widow of a former electrician has been awarded £172,000 in compensation after her husband was exposed to asbestos at work.
The compensation was secured for the widow from Carmarthenshire in Wales by her lawyers Thompsons Solicitors after her husband died of cancer of the lining of the lung, mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos and there is no cure. Sufferers often die within months of diagnosis.
The former electrician was exposed to asbestos while working for Greater London Council (GLC) and the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) from 1966 until the late 1980s.
Heating Pipes lagged with asbestos
During his early career he worked in confined spaces close to colleagues who were using asbestos-based products to insulate heating pipes.
In his later career as an electrical inspector he was exposed to asbestos dust in the environment.
He was never given any protection against the dangerous dust.
Diagnosed with Mesothelioma
He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in September 2003 and died aged 69 in July 2004 after undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
He left behind his wife, two adult children and five grandchildren.
His wife said it was important to her husband to claim compensation for the illness.
She said: “Although my husband knew he was exposed to asbestos in the workplace he was never warned by his employers that it could damage his health later in life. When he was diagnosed with mesothelioma he was determined to pursue compensation to ensure we were looked after.
“Following his death we took up the fight on his behalf. We are relieved that the claim has been successful. This is what he would have wanted.”
Client representative at Thompsons Solicitors in Cardiff, Eamonn McDonough added: “This electrician’s life was sadly cut short by mesothelioma, a devastating disease caused by asbestos. He was negligently exposed to the dust by his former employers and it is only right that his family are compensated for their loss.”
Asbestos disease diagnosis? Talk to us for advice and support on how to secure compensation.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we can support you with advice on how to make a claim.
The process will be explained in plain English and with no obligation – our priority is to provide you with the best, expert advice on whether you have a valid case for compensation, and to signpost you to further sources of support.
There are strict time limits applied to making a claim – usually three years from the date of diagnosis. It doesn’t matter if the exposure to asbestos took place – as it often does – decades ago, the three year time limit applies to the date of knowledge of diagnosis or date of death.
For further information, visit our How to Make A Compensation Claim page.