James Hogg was diagnosed with asbestos related pleural thickening shortly before his 60th birthday. His doctors were also concerned that he may have an asbestos related cancer; further tests confirmed that thankfully that was not the case. Mr Hogg believed he was exposed to asbestos dust and fibres during the course of his employment with Cravens Machines Limited on Staniforth Road, Sheffield when working as a planner/rate fixer between about 1966 and 1976.
Cravens Machines Limited changed its name to Bone Cravens Limited but ceased trading in the 1990s and was struck off the Register of Companies held by Companies House. We were successful in tracing the former Employers’ Liability Insurers of Cravens Machines Limited and we therefore restored the company to the Companies House Register for the purposes of commencing Court proceedings.
Mr Hogg claimed damages for his ill health and loss of earnings as he was forced to take early voluntary redundancy as a result of his asbestos related pleural thickening which caused him considerable breathlessness.
The claim was vigorously defended by the solicitors acting for the insurers of Cravens Machines Limited/Bone Cravens Limited. They argued that Mr Hogg had not worked near to asbestos materials or others using asbestos materials and argued that Mr Hogg’s pleural thickening was not caused by asbestos exposure. We successfully defended these arguments by obtaining further evidence from lay and expert witnesses.
We were able to achieve an out of court compensation settlement, just a week before trial, in the gross sum of £100,000.
Back to Client Stories
