Mrs H instructed Hugh James following her diagnosis with mesothelioma. Hugh James went through her work history with her in detail and it transpired that she had not been exposed to asbestos in her own work, but that she had been exposed to asbestos via her husband’s overalls whilst he was working for the National Coal Board (now the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) and Richard Thomas & Baldwins (now TATA Steel).
Mr H worked as an electrician at Tirpentwys Colliery in Pontypool. He was exposed to asbestos whilst clambering over lagged pipework, whilst cutting through old asbestos lagging in order to access wiring, whilst cutting asbestos sheets which made up the back panel of the switchgear and whilst replacing asbestos flash cards. He then went to work at Llanwern Steelworks as an electrician and was exposed to asbestos again via crawling through lagged pipework, cutting asbestos sheets to make back panels switchgear and using asbestos tape to wrap cables.
Unfortunately, Mr H then took asbestos fibre home on his clothes which his wife, Mrs H, then breathed in as she was washing them. Unfortunately, Mrs H sadly passed away during the claim after contracting Covid-19. Mr H continued with the claim on her behalf and Hugh James were able to secure a settlement against both defendants in the sum of £122,000 gross.
Solicitor, Lauren Bull, said:
Secondary exposure mesothelioma claims are always very sad. It seems so unfair that Mrs H didn’t even work with asbestos herself, yet she was the one who ended up developing mesothelioma. Unfortunately, asbestos is so dangerous that it can even put those at home at risk of developing a condition. I am relieved that I was able to get justice for the family, however no amount of money is ever going to make up for their loss.
