Craig was employed at Harland & Wolff from 1959 until 1969 at the housing department, but also worked on the ships that were being built in the dock. Whilst working in this capacity he was exposed to asbestos which was being handled by other workers.
Craig was undergoing a routine examination at hospital which included a chest x-ray that resulted in him being referred for a CT scan that discovered the presence of pleural plaques, an industrial lung disease directly caused by asbestos. A friend of Craig recommended that he contact us in order to pursue a claim for compensation.
We took on Craig’s case
Upon accepting Craig’s case we had him examined again by a consultant physician who advised that Craig was suffering from the disease and provided us with a medical report to use as evidence. The consultant also considered the possibility of Craig developing more sinister illnesses arising from the asbestos exposure. However, thankfully it was felt that he was at a very low risk of developing further ailments.
Prior to 2011 a Court of Appeal decision had indicated that pleural plaques was a symptomless condition and therefore was not grounds for compensation. However, the Northern Ireland Executive reversed this decision meaning Craig would be entitled to be compensated. We contacted Harland & Wolff’s insurance company who indicated a willingness to discuss a settlement before we negotiated a sum of £15,000 with them for our client.
If you have an industrial disease like Craig, learn more about our services or contact us for a free, no obligation discussion on how we can help you too.
