The dangers of asbestos have been well known for generations but it continues to be a silent killer that devastates families to this day. That was certainly so in the case of a joiner who died in his early 60s from lung cancer triggered by asbestos exposure when he was a young apprentice.
In the early days of his working life, the man worked in a timber yard where he was expected to saw, cut and fit asbestos sheets and scrub a warehouse's asbestos roof. Decades later he began to suffer distressing symptoms, including coughing, chest pain and lethargy. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a form of cancer almost invariably associated with asbestos, and died the following year despite gruelling treatment.
After personal injury proceedings were launched on behalf of his widow and two children, aged 15 and 16, his employer at the relevant time swiftly admitted liability. The value of the claim was hotly disputed but, following demanding and prolonged negotiations, settlement terms were agreed without the need for a contested trial.
The substantial sum to be paid to the widow did not require judicial approval and was kept confidential. However, the High Court agreed that the children should each receive £15,000 of the damages total. Those sums will be invested for their benefit and will be released to them when they reach adulthood.
