Joiner Dies From Mesothelioma

A man exposed to asbestos at work for just a few years has died of mesothelioma. The 73-year-old worked as a joiner in the housing industry while he was a teenager. His time spent there was so short that he never considered it a factor when he received his diagnosis.

Family Shocked At Diagnosis

The man’s daughter said that the diagnosis her father received was horrendous because he knew he only had a certain amount of time left to live. She said: “I feel really angry about his death because for a long time there was nothing wrong with him. He was taken away from us and he was only 73 – that’s no age, not today.”

After the man collapsed while gardening at his home he went to hospital where he had chest X-rays which showed he had shadows on both lungs and was confirmed as having mesothelioma. Following the news he had the illness in 2012, he lived for just fourteen months afterwards. His daughter said that when they found out about his illness the whole family cried and cried. His daughter said that if someone had told the family what the dangers of asbestos exposure were, even for a short amount of time, then things may have been different. She said: “Asbestos is everywhere – in homes, in your hairdryer, it’s in shipyards and factories. A lot of people will be affected by it and there is no way out.”

Mesothelioma Legislation

The dangers of asbestos have come more to the forefront in recent years; the government has now introduced the Mesothelioma Bill which seeks to help some of those affected by the illness to seek compensation. John Edwards is a consultant thoracic surgeon at a hospital in Sheffield, he says that the dangers of asbestos have been known for over a century yet it has taken over 100 years to ban it. Mr. Edwards who is also chairman of the British Mesothelioma Group said: “It wasn’t until 1981 that blue and brown asbestos was banned and 1999 was when white asbestos was banned. The Government is responsible for not moving fast enough and every Government of every political persuasion has been responsible over the decades for not moving on it sooner. It is a subject they continue to stick their heads in the sand about.”

Claiming Compensation For Mesothelioma

If you believe that you have been affected by mesothelioma due to your workplace conditions then you may be eligible for a personal injury compensation settlement. Please call us on 0333 358 3034 or complete one of our online claim forms.

Published 16th February 2015.