Our client’s husband, Edward Hall, was employed by the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works, now part of the Department of Communities and Local Government at the Royal Air Force Base at Chivenor from 1953 until 1987.  As a result of his work and exposure to asbestos, he developed and died from mesothelioma, an asbestos related cancer at the age of 84.

Edward was employed initially as a storeman and later had an administrative role as a clerical assistant and clerical officer.  He was exposed to asbestos from other peoples’ work.  He was around when asbestos lagging was mixed.  He gave out the bags of asbestos fibres from the stores and was responsible for cleaning the store itself. 

Unfortunately, at the time we were contacted, Mr Hall was already suffering from unrelated dementia.  This made it difficult for him to tell us about his exposure to asbestos.  We arranged to see him and his wife at home very quickly.  We managed to obtain a statement from him.  We also spoke to an old work colleague of his who was able to provide more information about his exposure to asbestos. 

At the time we saw Mr Hall, he was very poorly.  Treatment for his mesothelioma was difficult because of his dementia.

Mr Hall was admitted to hospital and died from mesothelioma a month after we were instructed and just 2 months after he had developed very noticeable symptoms of the asbestos related cancer.  As we had seen Mr Hall quickly, we had enough information to continue with the compensation claim, for the benefit of his wife Thelma. 

Mr and Mrs Hall had been married for over 60 years when he died from mesothelioma.  It was a devastating blow, they were a couple who had been very much been dependant on each other. 

A letter of claim was sent to the Treasury Solicitors who represent the Government Department involved.  They admitted that they had negligently exposed Mr Hall to asbestos during his employment with them from April 1963 until April 1974. 

A court action was started on Mrs Hall’s behalf to resolve the issue of how much Mrs Hall should receive in damages.  The Government’s solicitor admitted that they had caused Mr Hall’s development of mesothelioma and death.  The claim settled very quickly after the court action was started on Mrs Hall’s behalf.  A 6 figure compensation award was reached despite Mr Hall being nearly 84 when he died. 

Mrs Halls’ son said of the case:

‘I would like to thank you on behalf of myself and family especially my mum, for your help in gaining compensation for her.  It is very much appreciated as this has been a difficult time for all the family and the money will give her security for the future years ahead.’

Further information:
Helen Wilson, Solicitor
John Pickering and Partners LLP
Old Exchange Buildings
St Ann’s Passage
29/31 King Street
Manchester
M2 6BE

Telephone: 0161 834 1251
E-mail: hw@johnpickering.co.uk
Website: www.johnpickering.co.uk
FREEPHONE: 0800 854201
www.mesotheliomaadvice.co.uk

Notes

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the lining of certain bodily organs.  It most commonly affects the lining of the lungs (the pleura) but it can affect other areas including organs in the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum).

John Pickering and Partners LLP- Specialist mesothelioma compensation solicitors
We are a specialist personal injury law firm.  We have been handling claims for industrial disease for over 30 years.  Most of our work involves acting for asbestos disease victims.  We only act for the sufferers of asbestos diseases and never act for the organisations that caused the asbestos exposure or their insurers.  We have an ethical approach and pledge to donate 10% of our net profits every year to good causes that help asbestos sufferers.  Click here to find out about our donations to good causes.  We have also been involved in most of the landmark judgments that shape this area of law.  Find out more about us or find out about our reported cases.

We are on the panels of several asbestos support groups and are ranked highly by legal guides.  Click here to find out more about what others have said about us.

John Pickering and Partners LLP is a niche 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 asbestos disease sufferers and a prompt for important reform.

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