Pleural Thickening caused by asbestos exposure
Thompsons Solicitors has succeeded in obtaining a substantial compensation payment for a former welder after he was diagnosed with a disabling lung condition caused by exposure to asbestos.
William Burrows, 68, from Widnes in Cheshire was exposed to asbestos while working as a maintenance welder for Ward Blenkinsop, later known as Namepack, at Halebank in Widnes.
He worked for the firm for 23 years and was diagnosed with pleural thickening in 2005.
The condition has left him breathless and unable to work on his hobby making rocking horses.
He said: “This condition has had a huge impact on my life. I have had to move into sheltered housing and I can no longer make rocking horses, something I have enjoyed for many years. I no longer have the energy to do the things I used to. It is very frustrating.
Thompsons Solicitors secured compensation
Mr Burrows contacted Thompsons Solicitors after he spoke to the Merseyside Asbestos Victims Support Group (MAVSG) who helped him with advice about benefits.
Thompsons was successful in securing a provisional settlement which allows him to make a further claim for compensation if his condition worsens in the future due to asbestos related disease.
He added: “I am relieved that my claim has been successful and that it allows me to claim again if I go on to suffer from other asbestos related diseases. It is a worry that I will develop cancer like mesothelioma.
“It was important to me to claim compensation so I knew my wife was financially secure if I ever develop a fatal disease.”
Pleural Thickening can be a debilitating disease
John Flanagan from MAVSG said: “Mr Burrows was unwittingly exposed to asbestos while working for Ward Blenkinsop and as a result he is now debilitated in his daily life. We are only too pleased to have helped him.
Joanne Candlish from Thompsons Solicitors said: “Pleural thickening can be a debilitating disease and often caused by negligent exposure to asbestos in the workplace.
“The settlement enables Mr Burrows to have the benefit of some compensation now while preserving his right to claim further damages if he should sufferer serious deterioration due to pleural thickening or develops other asbestos related conditions including mesothelioma and lung cancer.”
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.