A man who spent decades of his life working in environments containing asbestos died as a result of his exposure, a court has ruled.
During his working life Graham Bancroft, from Derbyshire, worked as a cabinet maker, joiner and carpenter, both here in the UK and in South Africa. It is believed that he was exposed to asbestos several times through his work.
The 69-year-old developed mesothelioma, and lost his fight against the debilitating disease in September last year.
Following a hearing at Burton Town Hall on Wednesday (7th January), Andrew Haigh, coroner for South Staffordshire concluded that Mr Bancroft died of an industrial disease.
“Graham was only 69 when he died, which nowadays is a young age to die,” Mr Haigh said.
“In 2012 he developed mesothelioma in his abdomen, which is nearly always asbestos-related.
“He has undergone treatment for his mesothelioma, including surgery, and he had a number of hospital admissions.
“With the diagnoses that Graham had, the prognosis was probably poor in any event, because mesothelioma is a horrible condition.”
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer. The condition usually begins in the covering of the lungs and in most cases affects those who have been exposed to asbestos; often many years after the initial exposure took place.
If you or a member of your family has seen your health suffer as a result of being exposed to asbestos through your work, and you would like more information about your legal options, we can help you. We understand that this will be an incredibly difficult time for you and your family and have dealt with many complex and extremely distressing asbestos claims. If you would like to speak to a member of your team, you can contact us online or call us on 0800 028 2060.