Settlement for widow of former fitter with pleural thickening

Our specialist asbestos claims lawyers have secured a settlement for the widow of a former fitter whose asbestos-related diffuse pleural thickening was 20-25% responsible for his respiratory disability in the final year of his life.

George was 85 when he instructed us following his diagnosis of diffuse pleural thickening, an asbestos-related condition which was affecting his breathing. We visited him at his home and took a detailed witness statement from him setting out his recollection of his asbestos exposure.

Exposure to asbestos

He told us that he had been exposed to asbestos whilst working for Ellis (Kensington) Limited from 1955 to 1969, with the exception of a one year period when he served in the army. His job involved ripping out old pipework and boilers which were lagged with asbestos and then installing new ones. Before removing the old boilers and pipework he had to remove the asbestos lagging. He did this by hacking it off with hammers and chisels, which generated thick clouds of asbestos dust.

Laggers worked alongside George when he was installing the new pipework. They tipped bags of asbestos powder into big tubs, filling the air with clouds of dust. They then mixed it with water and applied it to the new pipework. The boiler rooms were often underground with no windows and no ventilation. George was not provided with a mask and was not warned of the dangers of asbestos.

Making a claim

We obtained medical evidence which confirmed George’s diagnosis of diffuse pleural thickening and that it arose from his asbestos exposure during his employment with Ellis (Kensington) Limited. The medical expert assessed George’s respiratory disability at 35 to 40%, of which 20 to 25% arose from his exposure to asbestos. The remaining 15% arose from other factors which were not related to his asbestos exposure.

Court proceedings were issued and we were able to negotiate a settlement shortly afterwards. The claim was concluded just under a year after we were instructed, but George sadly passed away shortly beforehand. We concluded the claim for George’s widow on behalf of the estate.

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we may be able to help.  Contact us on 0800 884 0718 or email claimsadvice@boyesturner.com for a free initial discussion.