County Mayo man receives compensation after successful claim against UK company

A County Mayo man, who we will refer to as Tom, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2019 at the age of 71. 

In 2020 we successfully settled a claim for compensation against his former employers in the UK who negligently exposed him to asbestos while he worked as a labourer on building sites in England in the 1970s. 

Tom moved to England from Ireland in the late 1960s to find work. He was taken on by Tersons Ltd as a labourer on a building site in Croydon, England, where a shopping centre was being constructed. 

Tom worked for this company for around two years and throughout this time he was regularly exposed to asbestos when he unloaded and stacked asbestos sheets. The edges of the sheets crumbled as he handled them, and asbestos dust and fibres accumulated on his clothes, hair and skin. The sheets were used by carpenters on site and Tom often worked in close proximity to or passed by the carpenters as they cut the asbestos sheets with machine and hand saws. 

Tom later moved on to work for George Wimpey & Co Ltd. He was employed by this company as a labourer on another building site in South London where a tower block was being constructed, and later, on the construction of an office block in Central London. 

Tom continued to be exposed to asbestos dust by this employer when he handled asbestos sheets and worked close to carpenters as they cut the asbestos sheets causing the release of substantial quantities of asbestos dust. 

In late 2018, Tom collapsed at home and was taken to hospital suffering with confusion. Following investigations, mesothelioma was diagnosed in 2019 and Tom returned to County Mayo to be with his family. 

Tom instructed us to investigate a legal claim against his former employers in England. His claim was complicated by the identification of undiagnosed lung cancer by our medical expert in additional to mesothelioma; however, in 2020, a settlement was successfully negotiated with the defendants. This settlement included provision for Tom to recover the costs of any future medical treatment.