In early 2016 Boyes Turner were instructed by Mr Baker* to pursue a claim against the Ministry of Defence as a result of his developing malignant mesothelioma.Work historyMr Baker spent the vast majority of his life working as a sports editor for a newspaper as well as being a sports photographer. At the time of his diagnosis, he was still working albeit that he had retired and was now working on a consultancy basis. Exposure to asbestosMr Baker had worked in Portsmouth Dockyard for a short period in 1950/51 and again in 1958/59. As an electrical apprentice he worked on board ships and everything was lagged with asbestos. He was required to run the electrical cables along the lagged pipe work. This resulted in exposure to asbestos which unfortunately caused him to develop mesothelioma some 75 years later. Making the claimBoyes Turner wrote to representatives for the Ministry of Defence who admitted that the Ministry of Defence had breached its duty of care to Mr Baker in exposing him to asbestos. Boyes Turner obtained a medical report and prepared a Schedule of Loss. All of the relevant paperwork, including statements, were served upon the representatives of the Ministry of Defence.Mr Baker was very pleased to accept the sum of £130,000 to settle his claim during his lifetime so that he could be certain his wife and children were adequately provided for.
