Boyes Turner’s expert asbestos claims lawyers were instructed by Mr F following his diagnosis of asbestosis in December 2012.
Mr F had worked as a steel rigger in the 1960s and 1970s for Babcock International Group Ltd erecting steel work gantries and platforms around industrial boilers during construction work at Didcot A Power Station and similar work at the Isle of Grain Power Station in Kent in the 1970’s. The company was previously known as Babcock & Wilcox Limited.
During the course of Mr F’s employment he worked in close proximity to other workers carrying out asbestos lagging work to pipework and boilers and as a consequence of this he was exposed to asbestos dust and fibres. He was not provided with personal protective equipment, including breathing apparatus, nor was he advised of the risks of working in close proximity to others working with asbestos.
Boyes Turner asbestos claims lawyers obtained Mr F’s medical records and instructed an asbestos medical specialist who confirmed that he had asbestosis which resulted in a 20% respiratory disability which was likely to increase to a maximum of 30% respiratory disability over the next five years. As a consequence of his exposure to asbestos dust and fibres the medical expert also confirmed that Mr F was at risk that he could go on to develop other more serious asbestos related lung conditions such as asbestos related lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Boyes Turner also obtained supportive engineering evidence to show that Mr F had been exposed to high levels of asbestos dust and fibres and that his cumulative lifetime dose was three times the threshold levels for establishing liability in cases of this type.
Mr F received £30,000 for his asbestosis but, importantly, the terms of settlement included provision for him to reopen his case and claim further compensation from the defendant company’s insurers in the event that he was unfortunate enough to develop mesothelioma or asbestos related lung cancer in the future.
