Compensation for Mesothelioma
The family of a man who died from an asbestos related disease have received compensation from his former employer with help from Unite the Union.
The man from Essex sadly died in January 2012 after suffering from asbestos related disease mesothelioma.
There is no cure for the cancer of the lining of the lungs, which is caused by exposure to asbestos.
The widower, suffered ill health for months but mesothelioma was not discovered as the cause until after his death.
Exposed to asbestos working as a plumber
The father of three and granddad to five was exposed to asbestos working as a plumber at a car manufacturer in Dagenham for three decades.
For 35 years he worked in areas where asbestos was present. He was never provided with any protection or warned about the dangers the dust posed to his health.
He told his son about his working conditions and following his death his family contacted Unite Legal Services which instructed Thompsons to investigate a claim for compensation.
The employer admitted liability and settled the claim out of court.
His son said: “My father had been suffering from poor health for a couple of years but we put it down to old age. It wasn’t until months before his death that we realised that things were more serious.
“The post mortem showed he had mesothelioma. My father had spoken to me about his work in depth and I was aware that he’d been exposed to asbestos so we decided to claim compensation on his behalf.”
Car manufacturing sector and asbestos
Peter Kavanagh from Unite the Union added: “Unite represents thousands of members in the car manufacturing sector and sadly many of those who worked in earlier years have gone on to develop disease as a result of exposure to asbestos.
“Unite is committed to supporting our members and their families to secure compensation if they develop asbestos related disease as a result of their employer’s negligence.
“This is a success for Unite Legal Services and all our members should take some comfort from knowing that our legal service is at hand to support members and their families in their time of need.”
Lorna Webster from Thompsons Solicitors said: “Mesothelioma is a terrible illness caused often by employers failing to protect its workers from asbestos. We hope this compensation can go some way towards providing a sense of justice for this family.”
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.