£675,000 settlement secured for family of former gas engineer who died from mesothelioma

Boyes Turner secured a £675,000 settlement for the family of Ronnie, a former central heating and gas service engineer who tragically died from mesothelioma following asbestos exposure during his work in the 1980s.

Ronnie was diagnosed with mesothelioma in September 2024. At the time, he was still working as a self-employed gas service engineer and sports physiotherapist. His diagnosis came as a devastating shock to him and his family.

Laura met Ronnie and his wife at their home shortly after his diagnosis. Despite the seriousness of his condition, Ronnie spoke openly and clearly about the work he had carried out decades earlier — work that would ultimately lead to his illness.

Exposure to asbestos during heating and gas engineering work

Ronnie explained that his only known exposure to asbestos occurred while working as an apprentice and later as a qualified gas service engineer during the 1980s.

Much of his work involved removing old warm air heating units and ducting from domestic properties. The equipment was heavily insulated with asbestos lagging, often dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. Ronnie described how the insulation was crumbly, dusty and in poor condition. He had to strip it away by hand, often spending an entire day removing asbestos-contaminated lagging from a single system.

He also removed asbestos insulating boards from boiler cupboards, walls and ceilings while carrying out boiler replacements. At the end of each job, he would sweep and vacuum the debris before disposing of it in rubble sacks — all without protection or warnings about the dangers of asbestos.

Legal proceedings and lack of engagement from the defendant​

It was immediately clear that Ronnie had been exposed to asbestos in circumstances where proper safety precautions should have been in place.

Despite the seriousness of the claim and Ronnie’s deteriorating health, the Defendants failed to engage promptly. Multiple chasers were required before any meaningful response was received. Anticipating delays, Laura worked quickly with medical experts and counsel to prepare High Court proceedings so that Ronnie’s claim could be progressed urgently.

Medical evidence confirmed that Ronnie was suffering from mesothelioma, and although he began immunotherapy treatment, his prognosis remained poor.

High Court judgment and interim payment

At an interim hearing in February 2025, the High Court entered judgment in Ronnie’s favour — effectively confirming liability against the Defendants.

The Court also ordered an interim payment of £50,000 to be made within 14 days.

For Ronnie and his family, the judgment brought a sense of relief during an unimaginably difficult time. Ronnie was in severe pain and deeply worried about the future of his wife and daughters.

Family was at the centre of Ronnie’s life. Alongside supporting his wife and younger daughter, he remained heavily involved in the lives of his adult daughter and granddaughter. He provided childcare, helped renovate his daughter’s home and was always the person others relied upon.

Tragically, Ronnie passed away just six days after the interim hearing.

Supporting Ronnie’s family after his death

Following Ronnie’s death, Laura continued supporting the family as the claim proceeded on behalf of his estate and dependants.

The case became particularly complex when assessing the family’s financial losses. Ronnie and his wife had recently made plans for him to return to heating engineering work several days a week because it provided a stronger income for the family. Together, they had created a five-year plan to maximise earnings so they could eventually relocate elsewhere in Europe.

Although sports physiotherapy remained Ronnie’s passion, heating engineering work offered financial security for the future they were building together.

To support the claim for loss of earnings, witness evidence was obtained from others working in the industry, including a building business owner who had employed Ronnie shortly before he became seriously unwell. It was during one of these refurbishment projects that Ronnie collapsed and an ambulance had to be called.

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The devastating impact on the family​

The claim also reflected the enormous personal loss suffered by Ronnie’s wife and daughters.

Ronnie had been the person who managed much of family life. He carried out DIY work, gardening, household maintenance, school runs, driving, accounts and practical support for the wider family. He was in the process of preparing an outbuilding that would allow both him and his wife to expand their businesses.

After his diagnosis, Ronnie’s wife immediately had to take over many physically and emotionally demanding responsibilities while also caring for him through the final stages of his illness.

Evidence from a specialist care and services expert helped demonstrate the extent of these losses.

Additional statements were obtained from Ronnie’s mother-in-law and a specialist mesothelioma nurse who had supported him throughout his illness. The nurse described witnessing an overwhelming level of pain, distress and psychological suffering.

She explained that Ronnie’s pain was exceptionally difficult to manage and that he experienced profound fear, anxiety and emotional suffering alongside his physical symptoms. She later said his case would stay with her forever because of the severity of what he endured.

Settlement approved by the court

The case was progressing toward an Assessment of Damages hearing in May 2026, where the Court would determine the full compensation to be awarded to Ronnie’s family.

However, shortly before the hearing, the parties attended a settlement meeting and agreed compensation in the sum of £675,000.

Part of the settlement required Court approval because it included compensation for Ronnie’s young daughter, who is under 18.

At the approval hearing, the Judge acknowledged the tragic circumstances of Ronnie’s death and the courage shown by the family throughout the litigation. Ronnie’s daughter had prepared her own statement explaining the impact of losing her father, and the Judge took time to commend her bravery.

 Asbestos disease specialist, Laura Magson, commented:

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