Exposed to asbestos at work
A Leeds widower has received £100,000 in compensation after his wife died from an asbestos related disease.
The granddad of three was compensated by his wife’s former employer who had negligently exposed her to asbestos.
The 77-year-old worked for Joseph Mays, in Springwell Street, Holbeck for 30 years.
The company made men’s clothes and she worked in the lining department from 1947 to 1978.
She worked at a Hoffman Press which had asbestos components. She also worked near steam pipes which were covered with asbestos and were often repaired while she and others continued to work alongside.
Diagnosed with mesothelioma
She was diagnosed with mesothelioma in December 2005 after going to her doctor to complain of breathlessness.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos. There is no cure for the disease and sufferers often die within months of diagnosis.
Before she died in February 2007 she said: "I am devastated by my diagnosis. My whole world has been turned upside down. My husband and I share a long marriage and we are very close. It is devastating for me and my family to live with this."
We could not thank Thompsons enough for their help
Before she died she instructed asbestos claims experts Thompsons Solicitors to obtain advice about compensation. Her husband continued the claim following her death.
He said: "We had been advised to claim compensation by the local support group and felt it was important. It is a great relief that the claim has now been settled. We could not thank Thompsons enough for their help."
Oliver Collett from Thompsons Solicitors added: "Many women worked in similar conditions to this client and were negligently exposed to asbestos. The consequences of developing mesothelioma are often made all the more devastating and difficult for our clients and their families to come to terms with because it could have been prevented had the employer at the time only taken more care."
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.