Family Hopes To Help Raise Awareness Of The Disease Following Five-Figure Settlement

The heartbroken family of a Suffolk man who died of mesothelioma, a fatal asbestos-related cancer, have spoken out over their desire to raise awareness of the disease after specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell secured a five-figure settlement with the insurers of one of his former employers.

The family hopes to help raise awareness of the disease by speaking out following Action Mesothelioma Day (July 7).

Action Mesothelioma Day aims to bring together victims of the disease, those who have loved ones affected by the disease, healthcare professionals, support groups and those working to understand the disease and find a cure, to ensure the public are aware of the terrible impact it can have on sufferers and their carers.

Robert Healey, a plumbing and heating engineer who lived in Ipswich, died in October 2014, aged 70, after being diagnosed with the disease in January the same year. Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and is caused by exposure to asbestos often decades before symptoms begin to show.

Shortly before his death, Robert instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers to investigate where he was exposed to asbestos and why more was not done by his employer to protect him.

Following Robert’s death, his daughter Emma and son Mark continued his claim. Almost three years later, the team at Irwin Mitchell successfully delivered a positive outcome, securing a five-figure settlement for Robert’s family.

Emma and Mark’s legal team believed that Robert came into contact with the fatal asbestos dust during his time at NB Aldridge & Sons, Ipswich, where he worked from 1959 to 1960 and again from 1974 to 1977.

When employed by the firm, Robert worked on air force bases carrying out adaptations to existing pipework and installing new pipework. He would remove the old asbestos lagging in order to access the valves and carry out the necessary repairs.

He also worked alongside the laggers on-site who would be mixing up asbestos lagging to re-lag the pipework. Robert was further exposed to asbestos when he removed and dismantled old boilers which were lagged with the deadly substance.

Samantha Shaw, a solicitor and specialist asbestos disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Cambridge office, representing Emma and Mark, said: “This case is sadly like a number we are involved in, with a person going on to develop a very serious condition and sadly pass away as a result of asbestos exposure which is believed to have occurred several decades ago.

“We hope that the settlement we have secured will enable Emma, Mark and the rest of the family to try and move on with their lives following Robert’s tragic passing.”

Robert’s daughter, Emma said: “Although I, along with the rest of the family, am happy that the legal action has reached a positive conclusion, nothing is going to bring back our father.

“I hope that dad’s story will help raise awareness of mesothelioma and make people think twice before they open themselves up to asbestos exposure.”