A man has been awarded compensation after his wife died from asbestos related cancer in 2011.
Durham County Council accepted liability for her death and compensation was settled out of court. Laura Hamilton worked as a cleaner in Belmont Comprehensive School in Durham during the 1980s, when she was exposed to asbestos fibres in the building.
Mr Hamilton’s asbestos lawyers collected evidence proving Mrs Hamilton’s exposure to the material had happened while she worked at the school. They noted that the building contained loose asbestos fibres.
Asbestos was only banned as a building material in 1999, so many schools built before then will contain the substance. It’s estimated that asbestos can be found in 86 per cent of UK schools, in ceiling and floor tiles, insulation and roofing.
Maintenance staff and caretakers are most at risk of asbestos exposure, as their work may disturb the fibres, which are then inhaled.
Durham County Council says it has a comprehensive system and management policy in place to deal with the presence of asbestos in all their premises.
The onset of mesothelioma can be up to 40 years after the initial exposure, which means there are often issues tracing past employers and companies. At present, cases of asbestos related lung cancer are becoming increasingly common because of this timeframe.
Rebecca Montague, a specialist asbestos solicitor based at Macks Solicitors in Redcar, said: “The fact that asbestos is present in many schools throughout the UK remains a huge problem and one that needs to be tackled more robustly if we are to protect children, teachers and other school workers from future development of serious lung disease.”
Macks Solicitors have asbestos lawyers who can help you trace your employers if you have been diagnosed as suffering from mesothelioma following exposure to asbestos.
Our sympathetic industrial disease solicitors are experienced in dealing with lung cancer and mesothelioma, due to the high proportion of cases in the North-East. You can call our offices in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Darlington on 01642 252 828 to discuss the circumstances of your illness and to start a compensation claim.
