Mesothelioma victim wins settlement from former employer
A man from Tyneside, England has won a payout from his former employers. 18 months ago, Mr. Wilfrid Craig was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos fibers. While there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure for mesothelioma cancer. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, and the majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years following diagnosis.
“I am so angry to think my life and those of my wife and children have been torn apart unnecessarily because of my former employers’ negligence,” he told reporters. “Throughout my employment I was never provided with a mask or any protective clothing because I was working with asbestos. Had I been given this equipment to protect myself I wouldn’t be in this dreadful situation. I was absolutely devastated when I received my diagnosis and as a result I’ve now had to leave my job.”
According to Roger Maddocks, an industrial illness specialist with the law firm Irwin Mitchell, “Throughout Mr. Craig’s employment at George Wimpey & Co, and due to his position at the time, he was routinely tasked with duties which often involved working closely with asbestos without any form of protective equipment.
Mr Craig is just one of the thousands of workers who have either been killed by, or are now facing, a devastating terminal illness because their employers did not take the necessary precautions to protect them when they either knew or should have known of the risks.”
