Successful claim for former Ewins Brothers and George Wimpey employee who developed asbestos-related disease

Roger Stevens was employed by Ewins Brothers (Contractors) Limited between 1972/73 and 1975/76. During his employment he worked on the construction of a council estate in Bognor Regis, building houses and flats. Mr Stevens was a groundworks foreman and his job involved preparing the footings of houses and flats. Throughout this time, Mr Stevens was working in and around carpenters who were sawing and drilling into asbestos insulation board (AIB), releasing asbestos dust and fibres into the air which Mr Stevens inhaled.

Mr Stevens was not warned of the dangers of asbestos or provided with any breathing protection.

Mr Stevens was subsequently employed by George Wimpey & Co Limited between 1975/76 and 1978/79, again as a groundworks foreman. Again, Mr Stevens was working alongside and in close proximity to carpenters who were cutting and drilling AIB, being exposed to asbestos dust and fibres.

Mr Stevens was diagnosed with COPD and emphysema in the early 1990s. Years later, in 2012 Mr Stevens was admitted to hospital with a pleural effusion and advised that he had developed pleural plaques. In 2020, Mr Stevens was admitted again with another pleural effusion and pleural thickening. It was then that he was advised that these were likely related to his previous asbestos exposure. As a result of his diagnoses, Mr Stevens has significant breathlessness.

Following his diagnoses, Mr Stevens contacted the specialist asbestos and mesothelioma team at RWK Goodman. A detailed witness statement was taken from Mr Stevens about his working life and exposure to asbestos and medical experts were instructed to provide reports regarding Mr Stevens’ diagnosis. The medical experts confirmed Mr Stevens had a diagnosis of diffuse pleural thickening and benign asbestos-related pleural effusion (BAPE).

Letters of claim were sent to the successors/insurers of the companies Mr Stevens worked for when he was exposed to asbestos, to deal with the claim. Mr Stevens’ witness statement and copies of the medical evidence were provided and work was done to value the claim.

Mr Stevens wished to settle his claim on a provisional damages basis, meaning if he was unfortunate enough to develop another asbestos-related disease later in life, he may be entitled to claim further compensation.

Mr Stevens claim subsequently settled for a sum in excess of £30,000.