Mr A had worked for a firm in Chesterfield from 1954 to 1959 and was exposed to asbestos during his time there.  He was a joiner and made various items such as kitchen fittings, windows, doors and wardrobes.  He also worked on new build houses where he would fit asbestos soffits and construct garages.  Both jobs involved cutting large sheets of asbestos into strips and drilling holes in the strips.  Most of the time this work was done outside, but often, when the weather was bad, it was done inside in enclosed spaces.  At the end of his shift, Mr A would sweep up the asbestos debris, creating and exposing him to large clouds of asbestos dust.   Subsequent to this employment, Mr A worked for a construction company from 1970 to 1986.  During his time there, he fitted windows by cutting holes into the asbestos sheets from which the buildings were made.  He was never provided with any protective clothing or masks whilst working at either firm and he took his clothes home to wash.

Mr A retired in 2004 when he was 65 years old.  He appeared fit and healthy until 2019 when he first noticed chest pains in March of that year.  He underwent various tests, which all proved negative, but he was eventually diagnosed with mesothelioma in November 2019.  He contacted Graysons to see if we were able to help claim compensation and Belinda took up his case.

Belinda collected evidence from various experts regarding Mr A’s exposure to asbestos and his illness.  Unfortunately, Mr A died in March 2020 and Belinda continued the claim on behalf of his executors.   In mesothelioma cases, it can be difficult to pursue all previous employers, but compensation can be claimed from just one dealing with all relevant exposure.  As one of Mr A’s relevant previous employers had gone out of business, Belinda was able to claim compensation from just the other and this company accepted liability.  Belinda was able to negotiate a settlement of £110,000 (gross).

If you are suffering as a result of exposure to asbestos during your working life, contact our experts now.  We will make a free of charge appointment for you at  which we can discuss your case and the likelihood of success in claiming compensation. You may also be able to claim compensation if a member of your family has died due to asbestos exposure. You can find out more about claiming compensation for asbestos-related diseases on our website.