We are pleased to report that we have recently won an asbestosis claim for Mr L who was diagnosed with the condition back in June of 2017.

Asbestos exposure

Mr L left school at the age of 15 and struggled to find work for a time. From December 1959 onwards, his late father, suggested that he go and assist him in his work for a company called Kitson’s (Insulation) Limited. He could learn how to do insulation work which was something his father was experienced in doing.

Mr L would usually work 2 or 3 week days a week alongside his father until approximately March 1961. He worked from 8:00am until 4:30pm but he also worked the odd Saturday alongside him completing work for the company for around 5 hours.

Mr L assisted his father as a lagger’s mate and witness evidence obtained in support of his asbestosis claim confirmed that he worked at a boiler house at Barley Lane Hospital near to where he lives. He also worked at power stations for the company where he suffered further exposure to asbestos.

Mr L’s father taught him how to mix raw asbestos powder with water in oil drums to form a paste-like mixture which his father would then smother on to pipework and boilers with his bare hands. As he poured the raw asbestos powder into the bucket, vast clouds of asbestos dust would rise up into the atmosphere which he and his father could not help but inhale. The asbestos dust covered his work clothes, hair and skin and made him cough and sneeze on occasion. The air would be thick with asbestos dust. The powder was always of a whitish to greyish colouration. As an estimate, he would be making up two or three oil drums of the asbestos insulation for his father to use over the course of each working day. This evidence was relied upon in support of his claim for asbestosis compensation.

In addition to doing this work on the various sites he worked on for Kitson’s, he would also have to regularly remove old asbestos lagging from pipework and boilers alongside his father. They used hammers and chisels to knock the asbestos lagging off and would then pull this off with their bare hands. As they did this, large clouds of asbestos dust would be clearly visible to the eye and they both breathed this in not knowing of the dangers. They would be covered in the asbestos dust after doing this work.

Mr L suffered further exposure to asbestos when brushing up and was never provided with any form of respiratory protection from the company, nor was he ever warned of the dangers of being exposed to asbestos dust.

Other Polluting Lagging Firms

The asbestosis claim not only succeeded against Kitson’s traced insurers but we were also able to identify insurance cover for other lagging firms Mr L worked for over the years, including Cork Insulation Asbestos Co Limited (now known as Union Insulation Company Limited), Ellis (Kensington) Limited and another by the name of Wrights Insulations Limited.

It is important for people suffering with asbestos related conditions to be aware that even if their past polluting employers no longer trade, insurance can often be located by specialist asbestos disease solicitors like ourselves.

Mr L’s asbestosis claim was settled on a provisional damages basis, which preserves a right for him to return and claim further asbestos disease compensation if his condition deteriorates over time.

If you require assistance in pursuing an asbestosis claim after experiencing heavy exposure to asbestos when working for lagging firms or believe you have a valid asbestos claim for any other asbestos disease then please contact us today on our freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, head over to the contact us page, complete the form and we will be in touch.

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