The Daily Mirror last month reported that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been ordered to pay £1 million in total to the families of three people who died after being exposed to asbestos during their childhoods.
Each of the deceased had grown up on a military base. Richard Rouse, a career soldier, died at the age of 53. He spent three years of his childhood, between 1956 and 1959, on an RAF base in Essex where he enjoyed playing hide and seek. Little did he know at the time that the cupboard in which he hid contained pipes insulted with asbestos. Coupled with this was the fact that every night, he slept next to an asbestos-covered radiator.
Several years later, the retired colonel was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibres. He died in 2008 leaving behind two sons and a widow.
Two other ex-military members also suffered under similar circumstances.
MoD overruled: High Court orders six figure payout
The MoD denied liability but a High Court ruling last week found in favour of the families of the three victims and the widow of Richard Rouse has received a six-figure compensation sum.
Every year, over 2,000 Britons die due to asbestos related diseases. The Mirror is running a campaign called ‘Asbestos Timebomb’ which calls for the creation of a public register to record all asbestos surveys conducted in public buildings and a £10 million centre dedicated to asbestos related diseases.
Claiming asbestos compensation
The symptoms of mesothelioma can take years to show themselves and by the time a diagnosis is made, there is sadly very rarely much time left for the sufferer. Families can launch compensation claims on their behalf and solicitors specialising in asbestos claims fight tenaciously to successfully recover large awards, sometimes against the odds where evidence gathering dates back several years and where liability is denied.
The MoD is notorious for denying liability for injuries and illnesses sustained by members of the forces, and it takes a highly skilled and experienced solicitor who has dedicated their career to working in this specific area to achieve a favourable outcome for victims and their families.
At Stephensons, we have specialists within our personal injury team who only ever deal with MoD compensation cases and have specific experience in asbestos related illness claims. You can speak to us directly, in complete confidence, by calling 01616 966 229.
By personal injury solicitor and Stephensons' Partner, Kate Sweeney
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