Specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have secured a settlement for the widow of a former chemical worker who died from mesothelioma, the asbestos-related cancer.
Barry Dempsey was first diagnosed with the disease in June 2015, and sadly passed away just under a year later. Before he died however, he got in touch with our asbestos and mesothelioma claims team to investigate how and why he came into contact with the substance.
Barry thought that he was exposed to asbestos in the five years he spent as an apprentice electrician at for Imperial Chemical Industries. His job there involved working around boilers and piping lagged in asbestos, which was often in poor condition.
He was present when repairs were carried out and the lagging was stripped, releasing clouds of carcinogenic asbestos dust which Barry breathed in, causing permanent and fatal lung damage.
Although Barry died in April 2016 his widow, Patricia, carried on his fight and, with our help, has now agreed a settlement with Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd’s insurers. That settlement will go towards the £1000 donation Patricia intends to make to St Catherine’s Hospice, Scarborough.
It was St Catherine’s that cared for Barry as his condition deteriorated. Through their ‘Care at Home’ service they made it possible for him to get the care he needed to make his last days comfortable without having to leave his home and his loved ones.
Patricia, who was Barry’s wife for more than 50 years and had three children with him, said: “Barry’s death has been difficult for us all to come to terms and one of the primary reasons for taking legal action was to recoup the cost of care provided to him by the staff at St Catherine’s. Thanks to Irwin Mitchell, we have been able to do that.”
“All of us have at some time been touched by a friend or family member who has been diagnosed with a type of cancer and we have seen the amazing job the dedicated staff at St Catherine’s do to make people as comfortable in their final days.”
If you, or a loved one, has been affected my mesothelioma or another asbestos related disease, or asbestos related disease specialists may be able to help you make a claim. Either call us on 0370 1500 100 or fill in our contact form and we will call you back.
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