The family of a man who died of a deadly lung cancer has been awarded £205,000 in compensation.
The man had been exposed to asbestos as a teenager while laying telephone cables when he worked for a company that was later bought by British Telecom (BT). Part of his job was to cover the cables with asbestos to protect them from fire.
He worked for the company for another 40 years until his early retirement in the 1980s. It wasn't until March 2007 that he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He died just four months later.
The family received the compensation in an out of court settlement from BT.
Mesothelioma is caused by breathing in asbestos dust, but it can be many decades before the cancer develops. When it does, it usually attacks the lining of the lungs. There is currently no cure for the disease.
The number of people diagnosed with mesothelioma is expected to continue rising until 2010.
The man had been exposed to asbestos as a teenager while laying telephone cables when he worked for a company that was later bought by British Telecom (BT). Part of his job was to cover the cables with asbestos to protect them from fire.
He worked for the company for another 40 years until his early retirement in the 1980s. It wasn't until March 2007 that he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He died just four months later.
The family received the compensation in an out of court settlement from BT.
Mesothelioma is caused by breathing in asbestos dust, but it can be many decades before the cancer develops. When it does, it usually attacks the lining of the lungs. There is currently no cure for the disease.
The number of people diagnosed with mesothelioma is expected to continue rising until 2010.
If you or someone you know develops the disease because of past exposure to asbestos in the workplace, contact us to discuss a claim for compensation.
