£115,000 in damages for mesothelioma

A plumber who developed mesothelioma has received £115,000 in damages. He had trained as a plumber from leaving school, and apart from his two years’ National Service and a brief spell with another firm, he worked with the same building contractor for almost 20 years. He was exposed to asbestos on numerous occasions which led to him developing mesothelioma. At no stage did his employer provide any kind of protective mask, or warn him of the dangers of breathing in asbestos dust. Although the defendant insurers initially questioned whether the plumber might actually have been exposed to asbestos during self-employment in later years, they admitted liability within two months.