Mr D contacted us following his diagnosis of diffuse pleural thickening with had been caused by the asbestos exposure he suffered when working as a carpenter for multiple companies throughout his working life. Whilst the way he was exposed to asbestos differed between employers, their negligence resulted in him suffering from a respiratory disability.
Exposure with Multiple Defendants
Mr D could recall specific incidences of exposure and we obtained his formal work history from the HMRC as proof of his employment. This confirmed that he had worked for Smith & Partners Limited, Ken Greasley Limited, South Kesteven District Council, against whom the claim would be run.
Mr D recalled how, when working for Smith & Partners Limited, he was in close proximity to laggers who were tipping an asbestos based powder out of sacks and then mixing this with water to form a paste. This created a very dusty working environment, however, his employer failed to provide him with any respiratory protection making them negligent.
Mr D explained that when working for Ken Greasley Limited he was exposed to asbestos in a very different way. He was working directly with asbestos cement sheets and asbestolux sheets. He would also be sweeping up dust and debris at the end of the day. Again, all this work was done in unprotected conditions and therefore, his employer was alleged to have been negligent.
Finally, Mr D recalled that during his time working for South Kesteven District Council he was expected to strip out ceilings, attend to pipe boxing and removed bath panels, which were formed from asbestos sheets. This was extremely dusty work and once again, Mr D was not provided with the relevant protection or knowledge to keep him safe.
We were able to locate insurance for the three companies and pursued a successful asbestos claim against them.
Breathing Difficulties
Although Mr D recalled experiencing a cough and some shortness of breath for a few years, his asbestos related breathing problems were only communicated to him a matter of months prior to him contacting our expert team of asbestos disease specialist solicitors.
The medical evidence obtained in Mr D’s case confirmed that he was suffering with asbestos-related diffuse pleural thickening resulting in a 20% breathing disability and this was caused by his exposure to harmful amounts of airborne asbestos dust at the hands of his employers.
The medical evidence also, sadly, confirmed that the exposure had increased Mr D’s risk of developing further conditions, such as asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma. We therefore ensured that his settlement agreement included provision for him to return to claim for all of these, should the need arise in the future.
Mr D’s Comments
Upon contacting Asbestos Justice, Mr D felt he did not know where to start. However, upon conclusion of his claim, Mr D told us that his claim was dealt with in a “friendly and efficient way” and that he felt he could talk frankly to his solicitor and was really understood.
Mr D contacted us in February 2022 and his claim settled less than 12 months later. Despite the potential issues, we managed to secure a payment for his current condition and peace of mind should his asbestos-related condition deteriorate in the future.
If you require assistance in pursuing a pleural thickening claim, or believe you have a valid claim for any 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.