Successful claim against Electricity Board for lady exposed to asbestos dust as a child through her father’s work

Senior Associate, Michael Wolstencroft, was instructed by Mrs W who was sadly diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mrs W was employed as an office worker and couldn’t recall any occupational asbestos exposure during her working life.

Michael’s enquiries shifted to Mrs W’s father who had worked as a boilerman for the Electricity Board and who would come home in asbestos-contaminated overalls. Mrs W, who was a child at the time, would rush to meet her father and hug him. She recalled that his work overalls and hair were covered in flecks of dust.

Mrs W helped her mum with the household chores, which included washing her father’s asbestos-contaminated work clothes. She would shake them before hand washing them, and she recalled seeing dust coming away from the clothes. Mrs W would sweep up the dust from the kitchen floor.

The Court generally accepts that, where such familial exposure occurs after 31 October 1965, there is a foreseeable risk of harm. In this case, the Electricity Board was held to be negligent.

Mrs W’s claim settled for a substantial six-figure sum plus private medical costs. Mrs W said, “I am very happy with the positive outcome. I have been kept up to date, I cannot thank Michael enough.”