Widow wins damages after asbestos death

Brenda Clark, from Battle, has been awarded £160,000 after her husband, James, died from an asbestos-related disease in 2008.

Mr Clark worked for Anderson Construction Company in Richmond Road, Twickenham, initially as a ceiling fixer.

He installed asbestos tiles at Victoria underground station, Standard Telephone Cables Company and at the Lister Hospital, Stevenage.

His work involved drilling holes into the asbestos tiles.

At the end of the day he was often covered in asbestos dust.

In 2007 he started to suffer from health problems and was diagnosed with mesothelioma a year later at the Conquest Hospital, Hastings.

Anderson Construction Company admitted liability.

Mrs Clark’s solicitor, Brigitte Chandler of law firm Charles Lucas and Marshall and one of the country’s leading specialists in asbestos-related law, said that many former workers in the building industry are now being diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer almost always caused by asbestos.

She said: “Mesothelioma can take between 40 – 60 years to develop.

“Asbestos was widely used in buildings in the 1960s and 70s with workers often given little protection.

“As a consequence we are now seeing a rise in the number of people from the industry diagnosed with mesothelioma.

“Anybody who worked with asbestos in the 60s and 70s and is suffering from any sort of chest problem should seek medical advice.”

She added: “Many people may develop other asbestos illnesses such as asbestosis or pleural thickening of the lungs.

“Damages are payable for this and advice should be sought from a solicitor specialising in asbestos disease.”