The family of a man who died of asbestosis have been awarded a large payout in compensation following his death. Solicitors acting for the family agreed to an out of court settlement with Tata Steel and two of the man’s previous employers.
Mr Johnson spent most of his career as a pipe fitter and during this time he was exposed to toxic asbestos dust while working at steel works and major power stations in the North of England. Asbestos was routinely used to insulate pipes because of its excellent heat and fire resistant properties, but more recently it has been discovered that the fibres released when asbestos is burned or broken up can become lodged in the lungs for many years and cause debilitating and fatal illnesses such as Asbestosis, Mesothelioma and Asbestos-related lung cancer.
It was years after he had worked with the asbestos that Mr Johnson began to experience breathing difficulties. When he visited his doctor he was diagnosed with asbestosis and it was at this point that his family started to look into who could be held responsible for the exposure.
Asbestos kills over 5,000 people each year – that’s more than are killed in road accidents. According to the Health and Safety Executive around twenty tradesmen die each week as a result of exposure to asbestos, but while the use of asbestos has now been banned for several years, there can still be asbestos present in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000.
Our solicitors have years of experience in handling claims involving asbestos and so will quickly be able to discuss your case and see if you are entitled to make a claim.
If you or a member of your family feel that you have developed Asbestosis as a result of your work environment and would like to speak to us about your options, please call us on 0800 028 2060 free of charge, request a free no-obligation call back, or start your claim now by filling in the claim form.