We represented Mr B who was sadly diagnosed with mesothelioma in May 2014. Symptoms began in February with chest pain and cough and he required a permanent chest drain which was emptied regularly by his wife.
Mr B contacted us at the end of May following his diagnosis. He recalled exposure to asbestos when he was employed by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell, Oxfordshire between September 1958 and 1965/66. He began work there as an apprentice welder qualifying in 1962.
As part of his job, he used a blue asbestos powder that he mixed with water and applied to machine parts in order to stop the heat from escaping. The asbestos paste then solidified and hardened. He then broke off the hardened asbestos with a hammer letting it crumble to the ground. He also used asbestos gloves on a daily basis and was required to use asbestos blankets measuring 6 ft by 11 ft.
He had further contact with asbestos string which was put round cast iron welding rods. Mr B Held the rods at a distance as part of the process to turn the metal rod into liquid metal. This was an explosive process and resulted in the metal being exposed to the elements. The asbestos came off in the process as part of the fumes and dust. He also worked alongside laggers as they mixed up asbestos powder with water and applied the same to pipes.
UKAEA confirmed they had breached their duty of care towards Mr B and made an interim payment of £50,000 soon after.
Mr B was unable to continue with his business as a self-employed picture framer from the onset of his disease and to continue with his eBay shop for ironmongery sales. The case settled at full value within 4 months of initial instructions and included an amount for the loss of future earnings.
