Family of Greater Manchester pipe fitter secures settlement following mesothelioma diagnosis
The family of a former pipe fitter from Stockport in Greater Manchester, who died in 2018 from the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma, has secured a settlement from his former employer.
Posted on 26 February 2020
John Hopkins died aged 83 from mesothelioma. He worked as a pipe fitter at various sites for J.D. Hughes Group Limited, based in Stockport, from 1968 to 1975.
During his time working at J.D. Hughes Group Limited, John worked as a contractor at the Mirlees site in South Wales. His job involved working on steam trace pipes which were lagged with asbestos. John also worked on a condensate tank that had loose asbestos insulation at the top of the tank. The tanks were near the boiler house and the environment was dirty and dusty.
John also worked on the Percy Fowler, a boat on the Manchester Ship Canal, during his employment with J.D. Hughes Group Limited. He was employed to remove pipework, which was insulated with asbestos. John also worked in close proximity to the boiler room where asbestos lagging was mixed which created a lot of dust. There was no mechanical dust extraction and so there was no way of getting rid of the dust.
Also, during his time working at J.D. Hughes Group Limited, John worked at the Five Fords Sewage Works site in Wrexham and the Drumsleat site in Scotland, where he installed pipes which required the removal of asbestos lagging from the product lines.
At the end of 2016, John developed a bad cold. On examination he was found to have fluid on his lungs. He was taken into Macclesfield Hospital where a litre of fluid was drained from his right lung. In February 2018, after experiencing some pain in his chest, John had a chest x-ray, a PET scan and a biopsy. In March 2018, John was diagnosed with mesothelioma and he died on 28 October 2018. His family have secured a settlement of £165,000.
Steven Dickens, asbestos claims solicitor at Leigh Day, said:
“John regularly came into contact with asbestos while working on different sites for J.D. Hughes Group Limited. Many years later he developed mesothelioma, an illness which is caused only by exposure to asbestos. As a result of developing that illness John died prematurely.
“I am pleased to have been able to help secure a settlement for his family that will provide security for their future.”