The joiner was exposed to asbestos throughout the majority of his working career
The daughter of a former joiner from North Lincolnshire who died after being routinely exposed to asbestos during his career has secured compensation with Thompsons Solicitors’ support.
The Barrow-upon-Humber resident, who started his career as an apprentice in 1950 aged just 14, spent several years working at a machine shop and supporting building work at farms, factories and new houses. He would cut and carry sheeting made of asbestos material, which would be used for walls and roofs and was never given masks or other protection.
Between 1959 and 1998, he worked as a joiner for various employers at dockyards and construction sites near Hull and the River Humber, experiencing similar asbestos exposure, and was also exposed to asbestos when working near laggers - who would strip old asbestos from pipework and machinery. He was never warned about the asbestos-related risks.
“My dad was put in harm’s way throughout his entire career.”Thompsons Solicitors' asbestos client
In 1994, following a fall, he visited his doctor for an x-ray. The x-ray picked up abnormalities that a chest consultant diagnosed as asbestos-related pleural changes.
More than two decades later, after regular check-ups with a chest clinic, he experienced difficulty breathing and returned to his GP. An x-ray identified fluid on his lung and, in September 2015, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma – a form of cancer often linked to asbestos exposure.
His daughter said: “When dad developed asbestos-related pleural changes he was able to claim disability benefits, but we never realised what legal support was available. After his mesothelioma diagnosis we heard about other people making compensation claims and turned to Thompsons Solicitors for their guidance. I’m glad we did.”
The man contacted Thompsons Solicitors himself, but sadly died - aged 80 - so his daughter continued the compensation claim on his behalf.
“My dad was put in harm’s way throughout his entire career,” she said. “For years he worked with asbestos, completely unaware of the health dangers it can cause. By the time he found this out, it was too late.
“Being able to understand when and why my dad was exposed was a huge relief. This wouldn’t have happened without Thompsons, so my family is grateful for everything they have done.”
Thompsons Solicitors’ asbestos disease specialists investigated the man’s work history in detail, helping the daughter make a successful claim for compensation.
Marion Voss, of Thompsons Solicitors, said: “Our client had worked at a number of sites and for a number of employers during his career, some of which were no longer trading. Fortunately, our specialist asbestos team has access to an extensive database of information about insurers of employers, past or present, from the thousands of successful cases we have made in the past.
“This meant we were able to trace the negligent firms and start a compensation claim against their insurers - securing a settlement for the man’s daughter, as well as closure.”
Asbestos disease diagnosis? Talk to us for advice and support on how to secure compensation.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we can support you with advice on how to make a claim.
The process will be explained in plain English and with no obligation – our priority is to provide you with the best, expert advice on whether you have a valid case for compensation, and to signpost you to further sources of support.
There are strict time limits applied to making a claim – usually three years from the date of diagnosis. It doesn’t matter if the exposure to asbestos took place – as it often does – decades ago, the three year time limit applies to the date of knowledge of diagnosis or date of death.
For further information, visit our How to Make A Compensation Claim page.