Winning Justice for Phil, A Victim of Asbestos Exposure

Posted on April 3, 2023 in Personal Injury
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Phil, a pipefitter and heating and ventilation engineer from Liverpool, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, but at first didn’t realise it was caused by exposure to asbestos.

Phil had worked in offices, factories, schools and hospitals across northwest England. He was employed in the boiler rooms, ripping out boilers and pipes lagged with vast quantities of asbestos lagging, and unfortunately with no protection provided by his employers, who should have identified the risks and complied with regulations.

His doctors had initially wrongly advised him that his cancer was not due to asbestos exposure, as his cancer was not in the lining of his lung (mesothelioma), but in the lung itself. If, like Phil, someone has suffered significant exposure to asbestos over many years, the cancer can still be caused by asbestos, even if it is not mesothelioma.

Sadly, he ended up receiving treatment for his cancer at some of the very same hospitals where he’d been exposed to asbestos many years earlier.

How Wolferstans Solicitors helped

Liz Makin, an Associate in our Asbestos team, is leading Phil's case, going above and beyond to ensure he receives the justice he deserves. Liz and her team obtained expert medical and occupational hygiene evidence that proved the connection between Phil's illness and his past work, which was crucial in establishing liability in his favour and resulted in securing a £50,000 initial payment which Phil has already received, despite the matter being ongoing.

His former employer is a company that is no longer trading, but Liz was able to navigate this with her wealth of experience in similar matters. The case includes a claim for accommodation, lost pension income, family and professional care, and Liz and the Asbestos team at Wolferstans are working tirelessly to ensure that Phil will receive the compensation he needs to cover his medical expenses and to make sure his wife will be taken care of after he's gone.

“They are such a loving couple, and it has always been Phil’s primary motivation in bringing the claim to ensure his wife will be provided for after his death. It is a pleasure acting for them and I enjoyed going to visit them at home in Liverpool” says Liz Makin.

Phil's case is valued at £350,000, and it is highly likely it will settle before trial.

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by asbestos exposure, our team can help you. Our experienced lawyers will fight for you and make sure that you get the justice you deserve.