Thompsons supported Colin’s claim for compensation
A Warwickshire man who developed a fatal disease caused by being exposed to asbestos at work has received £260,000 with support from Unite Legal Services and Thompsons Solicitors.
Colin Morris, 71, was employed by a Warrington firm as an apprentice electrician from 1960 to 1963, where he worked alongside laggers who mixed and applied asbestos lagging to pipe work.
Asbestos dust would often be disturbed as they did this and the area was poorly ventilated. Colin, who worked on electrical components, was never provided with any protection from inhaling asbestos dust.
In May 2016, Colin started feeling breathless and also noticed a build-up of mucus on his chest. He visited his doctor who prescribed a course of antibiotics, but when that didn’t help he went for scans that showed fluid on one lung.
A later biopsy confirmed that he was suffering from the asbestos-related disease, mesothelioma.
Colin contacted his union and instructed Thompsons Solicitors to make a claim.
“Unite Legal Services and Thompsons Solicitors were excellent throughout my claim,” he said. “They explained to me how my exposure to asbestos caused me to develop this disease and brought everything to a close quickly and without any hassle.
“I feel extremely let down by my employer for not warning me about asbestos. I dread to think whether any of my former colleagues have also developed this disease as a result of exposure.
“I would urge anyone suffering with an asbestos-related disease to speak with Unite Legal Services and get in touch with Thompsons Solicitors, so that they, like me, can get specialist support and some sense of justice.”
Stef Blasczyk, Unite the Union West Midlands Legal Officer said: “Despite working with asbestos more than 50 years ago, Colin’s symptoms only began to manifest recently. In the span of a few months, he has gone from being fit and healthy to struggling to complete everyday tasks. This is why is it extremely important that any Unite members out there, who have been exposed to asbestos in the past, contact us to have their details added to our asbestos exposure register.
“Tragically, asbestos diseases affect thousands of people each year. Unite Legal Services has the best specialist legal experts at its disposal to provide support to those diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos related illnesses.”
Asbestos disease diagnosis? Talk to us for advice and support on how to secure compensation.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we can support you with advice on how to make a claim.
The process will be explained in plain English and with no obligation – our priority is to provide you with the best, expert advice on whether you have a valid case for compensation, and to signpost you to further sources of support.
There are strict time limits applied to making a claim – usually three years from the date of diagnosis. It doesn’t matter if the exposure to asbestos took place – as it often does – decades ago, the three year time limit applies to the date of knowledge of diagnosis or date of death.
For further information, visit our How to Make A Compensation Claim page.