Between 1959 and 1961, the man, Mr H, was employed as a pipe fitter by a civil engineering company in the Scunthorpe area.  The company had obtained a contract from a large steel plant in Scunthorpe to build a new by-product plant.

No warnings about exposure to asbestos dust

Mr H’s job involved various pipe fitting work at the plant, one of which was to loop a ten- centimetre main steam pipe around the by-product plant on steel supports about three and half metres high.  As Mr H joined the pipes with flanges, he was followed by a team of pipe laggers, who worked no more than 18 metres away from him.  The laggers mixed asbestos dust with water and this gave off clouds of asbestos dust to which Mr H was exposed.  Mr H’s overalls were covered with the dust and he had to take them home and wash them himself.  He was not provided with a mask or given any warnings about the dangers of exposure to asbestos dust.

Mesothelioma diagnosed as a result of exposure to asbestos dust

In October 2014, Mr M became ill with a sore throat and a bad cough. His GP referred him to hospital for x-rays and he was told that he was suffering from pleural thickening and sent for further tests.  A further CT scan and biopsy confirmed that Mr H had mesothelioma.

Mr H usually enjoyed DIY, gardening and walking, but as his illness became worse, and he got more out of breath upon exertion, he had to stop these activities. He lost weight and suffered fatigue and anxiety.  His sleep became greatly disturbed.

In February 2015, Mr H collapsed and was admitted to hospital.  Two months later, 81-year-old Mr H died.

Widow continues compensation claim

Mr H was already in the process of making a claim for compensation from the civil engineering company and the steel plant and Belinda continued to pursue that claim for his widow. Both companies denied liability and so Belinda had to issue court proceedings against them.  Not long after the issue, however, both companies decided to settle the case and Belinda was able to negotiate a settlement of £100,000 for Mr H’s widow.

If you are suffering, or are related to someone who has died after suffering, as a result of exposure to asbestos and you would like to know if you can claim compensation, contact our occupational injury experts now.  We will arrange a free of charge interview in which we can assess your case and discuss your prospects of success.