Our client was a fit, active man who enjoyed long walks in the countryside near to his home. So, understandably, he was concerned when he was diagnosed with pleural plaques in 2006 and he decided to contact John Pickering and Partners Solicitors about a possible claim for compensation.
He told us that he had worked as a buyer for a large house building contractor. His employment spanned four decades and he regularly came into contact with asbestos until the mid to late 1970s.
At the time of his diagnosis there was much uncertainty as to whether pleural plaques would or would not be classified as a disease for which sufferers could claim compensation. Unfortunately in the autumn of 2007 the Law Lords ruled that those suffering from pleural plaques would not be able to claim compensation.
However, by the time that the Lords had made their decision regarding pleural plaques, he had began to suffer from chest pains and breathlessness. He underwent further tests and invasive surgery. Our client was informed in the Winter of 2007 that he had developed Mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos which affects the lining of the lung.
The news was devastating for our client and his family. He knew that he had been exposed to asbestos and that he had pleural plaques but also knew that the risk that he would develop Mesothelioma was small. Unfortunately in this case that risk materialised.
A solicitor from our firm visited him at his home to gain a clearer understanding of his exposure to asbestos and to provide advice about what steps could be taken to secure compensation for him.
Our client also provided us with details of witnesses who would be able to assist with his case. This proved invaluable as a key witness was able to bolster our client’s account of being exposed to asbestos. Medical evidence was obtained from a consultant chest physician with a special interest in asbestos diseases.
Court proceedings were issued against our client’s previous employer and a trial date was fixed to take place just 7 weeks later. This was made possible by utilising special court powers which are available in Mesothelioma cases.
The Defendant denied our client’s claim outright but we kept up the pressure and obtained more evidence which strengthened our client’s case. Four days before the trial our client’s claim was settled for a substantial sum of money.
Our client, who plans to use some of his compensation money for a holiday, made these comments about his case: “Thank you so much, on behalf of my wife and I, for the prompt and efficient manner in which you dealt with my claim against my former employer. Should I hear of anyone in the future in need of your services I shall not hesitate to recommend you. Once again, thank you.”
Contact us now to see if we can help you to recover compensation.
About Us
John Pickering and Partners LLP
John Pickering and Partners LLP is a specialist legal practice that has represented claimants in the leading asbestos "test cases" in the last ten years. The firm represented Sylvia Barker in Barker v Corus (UK) Plc, a case that highlighted the legal tactics of employers and insurers trying to cut back their compensation liabilities to mesothelioma sufferers, and which prompted the amendment of the Compensation Act 2006 to ensure full compensation for mesothelioma claims. The firm represented two of the three claimants in the Fairchild appeal, in which the insurance industry tried unsuccessfully to block compensation altogether for mesothelioma sufferers unable to identify which of two or more sources of asbestos exposure had caused their illness.
The firm represented Alice Jefferson, a mesothelioma sufferer, whose illness and compensation claim against Cape Asbestos were featured in the important documentary "Alice: A Fight For Life." Shown by Yorkshire Television in July 1982, the programme was an important catalyst for legal change and public awareness of the plight of the victims of asbestos.
Ryan O’Hara
John Pickering and Partners LLP
20 Clare Road
Halifax, HX1 2HX
Email: ro@johnpickering.co.uk
Tele: 01422 345535
Fax: 01422 438500
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