£495,000 for Mechanical Engineer exposed to Asbestos by MOD

Mr G was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in December 2020 having been exposed to asbestos whilst working for the MOD as an apprentice mechanical engineer in Portsmouth Dockyard in the 1950s and 1960s. He was heavily exposed to asbestos whilst working on the construction of Royal Navy ships.

Although liability was conceded shortly after the service of court proceedings and an interim payment made, the case was very complex because Mr G was the primary carer for his wife who had considerable disabilities. Mr G wanted to settle his claim in his lifetime but doing so would usually mean not being able to recover for Mrs G’s dependency on Mr G in to the future which can usually only be claimed after death.

Nevertheless, Mrs G’s reliance upon her husband for services past the date of his eventual death was pleaded within the claim, including her increasing need for care over time due to a deteriorating spinal and arthritic condition.

Mr G was also a strong candidate for immunotherapy treatment, as he had already completed first line chemotherapy treatment. His future private medical treatment costs were recovered on the basis that the MOD would pay for all of his future medical treatment, for as long as he required it, as long as it was deemed reasonable by his treating consultant. These costs were paid in addition to his damages.

Since settlement of his claim, Mr G has commenced immunotherapy treatment and is now on his 4th round with all of associated costs being paid by the MOD for the duration of his lifetime.

Mr G said of RKW Goodman: “The company made a point of making personal contact. I felt part of the team and could contact anybody at any time. The legal procedure was long and complicated requiring detailed technical statements from at least 6 of the top specialists in the country and finally briefing counsel. The total time of this process from my first contact to the deposition of the sealed consent order took only 9 months but this hides the fact that interim and final payments were made well within this period. I feel it is a privilege and an obligation to recommend this company for anyone following a similar journey to my own and I and my family will always be very grateful to the entire team.”