The widow of a man who died from cancer following exposure to asbestos in the 1960s and 1970s has received a payout of £175,000 from the high court.
Doreen Heneghan, 77, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, was awarded the money after her family’s lawyers argued her husband James, who died last year from lung cancer, was exposed to asbestos when he worked for a number of companies, including Withington Hospital and an oil refinery decades ago.
In total, Mr Heneghan, who was 76 when he lost his battle with the disease, was employed by six companies during the 1960s and 1970s where he may have come into contact with asbestos.
The ruling marks the end of a two-year court case which Mrs Heneghan described as “traumatic.” And even though a clear court ruling is in place, the family may still face a fight for their money as the High Court must now decide whether the companies are all jointly liable for contributing to his condition.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Mrs Heneghan said: “The past two years have been a traumatic ordeal for the whole family.
“It’s been nearly two years since he died, and there are days when you don’t even think about it – you can’t let it play on your mind everyday of your life, not for that long.
“But my son always said dad wanted us to get a result from this.”
It was Mr Heneghan’s dying wish that his family were successful in their bid to get compensation in the courts.
A recent report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found up to 20 deaths in the United Kingdom can be attributed to asbestos exposure every week. Around 1.3m tradesmen are putting themselves at risk of contracting mesothelioma – the cancer caused by asbestos fibres entering the lungs – by potentially coming into contact with the deadly substance as much as 100 times per year. Many of them were not fully aware of the dangers they faced.
The organisation was so concerned by its findings, it has launched an app for construction workers to download and take with them so they can minimise their risks while at work. Around 200,000 asbestos safety kits were also made available at branches of TradePoint stores throughout the UK.
It also revealed cases of asbestos related illness and deaths are not expected to decline until at least 2020 as the associated diseases can take decades to emerge in patients, which include people without direct exposure to it but may have become ill simply by touching or washing clothes infected with asbestos fibres.
Compensation claims are also on the increase but many individuals are facing difficulties winning in the courts as they can’t remember where they worked over 40 years ago when they came into contact with asbestos, and in some instances the companies no longer exist making it impossible to claim against them.
If you or a family member have been exposed to asbestos and would like help and advice, please contact our specialist team today by calling 0800 028 2060 or visiting our dedicated website www.asbestosisclaims.com