At Asbestos Justice we are delighted to report that we have recently recovered pleural thickening compensation for Mr W who worked for the Defendant, T Partington & (Builders) Limited as a labourer between 1973/4 and 1979/80, working at sites in the Oldham area.
We took a detailed witness statement from Mr W in support of his claim for pleural thickening compensation and it was alleged that the Defendant was negligent and in breach of statutory duty in exposing him to harmful amounts of airborne asbestos dust in entirely unprotected conditions.
Persistent Asbestos Exposure leadS to Pleural Thickening
The first site Mr W could remember working at was the Majestic Mill in Oldham. He worked here for about 6 months. The mill was being refurbished. One of Mr W’s involved having to remove asbestos panels in order to expose ducts which contained services such as pipework. He then had to replace the asbestos panels after tradesmen had completed their work in the ducts. Removing and replacing the asbestos panels were dusty tasks which raised substantial quantities of asbestos fibres into the atmosphere, which Mr W could not help but inhale.
Whilst working at the Majestic Mill, Mr W also worked close to laggers who were mixing dry asbestos fibres with water in order to form an insulation paste which they then applied to pipework. Mixing the asbestos was a very dusty activity which raised substantial quantities of respirable asbestos dust into the atmosphere which he inhaled again.
Mr W also remembers working at another site around 1974 on Hargreaves Street in Oldham. The work involved fireproofing steelwork in 4 factory units. Mr W worked on this job for around 6 weeks. The task which he performed, usually with a colleague, was to fireproof RSJs. He did this by fixing asbestos sheets around them. This involved having to cut the sheets. They cut them on a circular saw. There was no extraction on the saw. Cutting the sheets on the saw was an extremely dusty process which resulted in clouds of asbestos dust being released into the atmosphere which Mr W inhaled again.
Medical Evidence: How Asbestos Exposure Escalates
Medical evidence was obtained from an expert radiologist and respiratory consultant in support of Mr W’s pleural thickening claim.
The evidence confirmed that he had developed a benign asbestos induced pleural effusion and bilateral diffuse pleural thickening. These conditions were causing him a respiratory disability of 15% with his problems starting to affect him around November of 2018, due to right-sided pleural thickening with the effusion.
Mr W noticed he was suffering with increased breathlessness in early 2022. He was found to have developed diffuse pleural thickening on the left side as well as his right, which was responsible for causing him to suffer with a further 5% respiratory disability.
Professor Maskell added that Mr W’s diffuse pleural thickening is likely to progress slowly and cause an increased respiratory disability. There is a risk of more rapid progression, and also at risk of developing malignant mesothelioma. He has been caused concern and anxiety as a result of the diagnosis and prognosis.
Peace of mind and compensation secured
Mr W’s claim was settled on a provisional damages basis for £55,000.00, leaving the door open for him to claim asbestos compensation if his pleural disease deteriorates significantly, or if he suffered the misfortune of being diagnosed with terminal mesothelioma in later life. Mr W now has the peace of mind of knowing that he can return to claim further compensation if the need arises.
How Our Specialist Asbestos-related Disease Solicitors Can Help
If you need help pursuing a pleural thickening claim or believe you have a valid claim for any other asbestos-related condition, please contact us today on 01244 312306.
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