Asbestos was a material used in the construction of many buildings in the UK, before it was eventually banned in 1999.
Unfortunately, exposure to asbestos can cause asbestos-related diseases, including pleural thickening, pleural effusion, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer, the only known cause being exposure to asbestos.
Unfortunately, however, asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma can take from 10 to 50 years to present themselves symptomatically.
Respiratory nurse dies at age 55
A respiratory nurse who worked at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, recently sadly died at the young age of 55 as a result of mesothelioma.
This was caused by asbestos which she had been exposed to within the hospital building whilst she was working there in the 1980s. She and other hospital staff would use the underground tunnels to get around the hospital, which unfortunately were full of asbestos.
Her family are urging staff, who also remember using the same tunnels, to get themselves checked out.
Breaches of Asbestos Regulations by the NHS
There have been 13 prosecutions against the NHS for being in breach of the Asbestos Regulations since 2010.
In addition, since 2013, 380 claims have been made against the NHS for industrial disease claims.
How we can help
If you require assistance in pursuing an asbestos compensation claim for mesothelioma or other asbestos disease, then please contact us today on our freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, head over to the ‘Contact Us’ page, complete the form and we will be in touch.