A former electrician has been awarded £20,000 in damages after he developed asbestosis, a crippling respiratory disease.

 

Peter Guy, now 74, worked for Harland and Wolf in its Liverpool shipyard in the 1960s as an electrician. He remembers being exposed to asbestos when carrying out his job of refitting cruise liners but he was neither warned of the dangers this posed nor given any protective clothing.

 

The disease has left Mr Guy extremely short of breath. As a result he is now unable to carry out jobs around the house, do the gardening or pursue his hobby of swimming.

 

Asbestosis is caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibres over a period of time and in most cases the exposure occurs at work. The asbestos dust irritates the lungs, causing them to lose their elasticity and this stops them working properly. Asbestosis sufferers often experience shortness of breath and chest tightness and pains, as well as persistent coughing.

 

Mr Guy's £30,000 damages award is provisional. This means that he is free to make a further claim in the future, should his circumstances warrant it. Those diagnosed with asbestosis are at an increased risk of developing further respiratory problems, lung cancer or mesothelioma. Should his condition worsen, Mr Guy will be able to seek further compensation.

 

Many people worked with asbestos in the past, when controls were not as stringent as they are nowadays and some employers adopted a somewhat cavalier attitude to the dangers posed by the substance. As a result, the number of personal injury claims related to asbestos exposure continues to rise. The symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses often take a long time to appear.

 

If you have developed a disease as a result of your employer's negligence you could be entitled to compensation. We can advise you on what steps to take.