Legal Experts Back Calls From Widow For People To Seek Checks On Mesothelioma

By Rob Dixon

An inquest into the death of a 71-year-old man has highlighted the distressing impact that the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma can have on victims, according to legal experts specialising in helping sufferers.

'This Is Local London' reported that the hearing into the death of Peter Blackburn gave his cause of death as bronchopneumonia and malignant mesothelioma, with the inquest hearing how the former builder had undertaken work in the past to remove underground boilers covered in asbestos.

Following the verdict into his death, his widow Susan said it was vital that people were aware of the risks of asbestos and described the impact of exposure as “insidious” and “really wicked”.

Irwin Mitchell’s specialist asbestos-related illness lawyers represent both victims and the families of those who have died of mesothelioma, often decades after they have been exposed to asbestos in a variety of working environments.

Adrian Budgen, national head of asbestos litigation at Irwin Mitchell, said: “This tragic story is sadly like so many we come across every week, when victims have died as a result of exposure to asbestos many years earlier.

“Exposure to asbestos is commonly linked to work in construction or heavy industry, but it is should be remembered that we are seeing a growing number of cases emerging when people have come into contact with the material as the result of working in hospitals and other public buildings such as schools.

“The deadly material has created its own terrible lasting legacy which has affected so many lives and it is vital now that employers and authorities ensure that the presence of the material is always handled with care, with workers given the tools they need to be able to undertake work safely when there is the potential threat of exposure.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in relation to Mesothelioma Compensation Claims