Asbestos compensation and benefits success for shipyard man without diagnosis

Corries Solicitors have won five figure compensation for a former shipyard worker affected by asbestos related diffuse pleural thickening.

Because of Corries work a man with no clear diagnosis of asbestos disease has got benefits and compensation which will help him and his family.

Corries are leading asbestos claims solicitors.  No one tries harder to get you the compensation you deserve.  Call us FREE now on 0800 083 7839 to see if we can help you.

The Facts

Our client Mr D contacted Corries in late 2017.  He had questioned his GP with concerns about his breathing.  He had worked at various shipyards in the Newcastle and Sunderland area. Sadly he had seen many former workmates suffer with chest disease.  Some of these formal workmates had died.  He was understandably concerned.

No clear diagnosis of his condition due to asbestos was ever made.  He had other health issues and had decided to move from the family home to a flat. No one appeared to be able to help him with his worries.

He had no idea he could make a claim for asbestos compensation. Our website showed how we had great experience in asbestos claim. Our news page is here and shows many cases won due to our hard work https://www.corries.co.uk/asbestos-claims/asbestos-news/

Asbestos Claim – listening and securing benefits

First of all we spoke at length to Mr D and found out about how his chest problems affected him on a day-to-day basis.  He told us about how it impacted on him, his wife and his family. He relied on them a great deal. We felt sure that this was due to asbestos.

Our team took the time to go carefully through his medical records. We tried to prove how his other health issues impacted on a day-to-day basis.

We helped him secure Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. As a result he will get a weekly payment for the rest of his life. A link with information about that benefit is here https://www.gov.uk/industrial-injuries-disablement-benefit

He was given a payment for D9 -Diffuse Pleural Thickening.

Moving his asbestos compensation claim along

We were fortified that Mr D should make a claim for compensation on top of this benefit.He had clearly got Diffuse Pleural thickening.

We went to one of our panel of medical experts. He confirmed that Mr D had got Diffuse Pleural Thickening and that he was 30% disabled. Of this 20% was due to the asbestos disease.

We traced his former employers and put together a schedule of the five different employers and insurers.

A coordinated effort

By early 2019 the defendants got together and agreed to meet Corries to discuss the case as part of a settlement meeting.

Unfortunately, while settlements are mostly achieved at these meeting the insurers had come with a limited sum of money reserved to settle the case. We did not think this reflected what the case was worth.  We were about £10,000 apart.  Corries were not prepared to compromise the claim and felt that if Mr D went to court he would get more.

Accordingly we advised Mr D to reject the offer. We invited the defendants to go away, get their heads together and come back with a more sensible figure for asbestos compensation.

The defendants duly went away and came back with an offer increased by £8000.  This was put to Mr D and he accepted the offer.

Asbestos compensation case comment

Howard Bonnett, Corries Asbestos team manager commented

“I was particularly pleased with this case.  It would have been all too easy for Mr D to slip through the cracks and get nothing. To have got both benefits and then compensation in addition will help him enormously.

Doctors do not always have the time to look at a person’s health and decide what is adding to their problems. The medical and legal professions can often work together for the benefit of victims of asbestos disease. Because my team had the time to look properly at Mr D’s health issues we could help the doctor concentrate on what was due to Mr D’s working life.

I was surprised that the defendants come to visit me with a low authority to settle the case.  Whilst I am keen to ease the stress of a claim I am not prepared to settle at less that it is worth. Therefore I have to make sure that the settlement is one which reflects the illness for the rest of a person’s life.

I had no problems with rejecting the offer and sending the defendants away. It is it better to the get the job done right rather than quickly“

Asbestos compensation -Can we help you?

Corries are leading asbestos claim solicitors. If you know someone who has been diagnosed with asbestos disease in the last three years then give them our number.  We are happy to speak to people on a No Obligation basis. Even if they have had their case turned down a call might be worth a try. We offer a free second opinion service.  Call us now for FREE on 0800 083 7839 – it might be the best thing you ever did.