Dying Man Wins Asbestos Case Payout

A man dying from cancer caused by asbestos inhaled in the 1970s has won a "substantial" payout just weeks before the case was due in court.

Designer Roger Plowman, 61, was exposed to deadly asbestos dust while working for Carter Design Group of Foxton, near Market Harborough.

He was given two years to live in autumn 2006 after being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma - cancer of the chest lining.

In a writ issued in March, he alleged he was exposed to fibres while cutting asbestos sheets with a circular saw between 1974 and 1977, when he worked as a designer and technician.

Last month, lawyers acting for the company's insurers agreed to the pay-out, weeks before a scheduled hearing at the High Court in London. The deal means the issues of the claim were never resolved.

Last month, lawyers acting for the company's insurers agreed to the pay-out. Mr Plowman`s solicitor, David Cass, of Irwin Mitchell, said: "We want to alert the public about the dangers of asbestos."

Mr Plowman, who lives in Arnesby, near Lutterworth, said: "I would urge anyone who suffers the same symptoms as me, and they don't clear up, to get specialist medical advice."

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David Cass of Irwin Mitchell's asbestos team said: "I am enormously pleased to have reached a successful conclusion by negotiation in this terribly hard-fought case.  There was a lot of evidence put forward by my client's former employer, designed to defeat his claim.  With my client's help and evidence from some of his former workmates we were able to recover substantial compensation.  This claim highlighted the difficulties of pursuing claims in relation to exposure in unusual industries and the importance of amassing as much evidence as possible to prove a case."

If you or a loved one has been affected by an asbestos related illness, our solicitors can help you to claim compensation. See our Asbestos Claims page for more information.