Persistence pays for asbestos pleural thickening claim

Persistence has paid for an asbestos pleural thickening victim who has suffered for many years.

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Asbestos Pleural Thickening case background

We were approached in 2017 by Mr our client, Mr T.  He was 72 years old and had problems with his breathing. He had been to his doctors many times over the years with chest infections. In 2012 he had pneumonia. He felt there had been a change in his breathing over the years. He had been exposed to asbestos over many years.

We thought that his case needed looking into.

His working history

Mr T had left school in 1960 and worked for Mumford Bailey & Preston as a pipe fitters mate.  He would work in boiler houses which were lagged with asbestos.  He worked long hours during the bad winter of 1962.

His work took him all over London. One clear memory was of working near Richmond station when Winston Churchill’s funeral procession passed in 1965.

He worked for other companies such as Regional Heating and then for Young Austin & Young.  This work sent him further afield.

He returned in 1967- 1973 to Mumford Bailey &Preston once more. He worked in many places including various barristers chambers in Chancery Lane.

His overalls would be covered in white dust from head to toe. These would be washed by his wife every week.

His health

Mr T had always been a very healthy man.  He stopped smoking at an early age. He suffered with bronchitis over the years. In his fifties he managed 13 and 26 mile walks..

As he got into his mid sixties he noticed a change in his health.  He had chest x-rays in 2007 but nothing was found. A key change was noticed in 2012 when pneumonia was diagnosed. He was told about changes on his right lung.  Nothing else was done over the following years but knowing he was not right spurred Mr T into action. He paid for private treatment to see a doctor about this. At this consultation in 2016 the doctor told him what he had long suspected. Mr T was diagnosed with asbestos pleural thickening. The doctor told him that this was playing a part in his health problems. The doctor confirmed that he had both pleural thickening and atelecetasis (folding of the lung) which have been due to his asbestos exposure.

He also had asthma.

What did we do?

We looked into his work history and his medical issues.  Then we rounded up and were able to secure insurers or companies for over 90% of his employment.

We used a specialist asbestos chest doctor and radiologist. Both said that there had been changes over the years which explained why he had been suffering with breathing problems. It was clear that there had been a gradual and steady decline in his chest health. They reported that worsening would continue for the rest of his life. It is not treatable nor can he have any operation to improve his plight.

Armed with this evidence we were able to present the case to the defendants and achieve a good settlement. This will allow Mr T to invest the money should he need even more support in the future.

Asbestos Pleural Thickening Case comment

Maria McMurray, asbestos claims specialist who won the case commented

“This was a difficult but rewarding case to finalise.

It was clear that my client Mr T has had chest problems over the years. In particular in 2012 pneumonia appears to have been a focal point for noticing his illness. To his credit Mr T was patient but also persistent at the right times. He used his own monies to get a private opinion. Whilst he may have eventually been diagnosed on the NHS the private route did help him get the clear diagnosis he wanted.

I am sure his case – like many thousands of others- is one of asbestos disease which is not picked up on first. This is not to criticise the NHS but to point out that asbestos disease needs time and care to be found and proven. Mr T’s case shows that sometimes persistence pays.”

Corries are specialists in proving asbestos cases for compensation.  If you have been exposed to asbestos and your doctors think asbestos is the cause then we might be to help you.  There may be thousands of pounds in compensation waiting for you. Call us free or click on our asbestos page right here and one of our team will contact you. It might be the most important call you make..