Wife of carpenter who suffered asbestos exposure after working on a North London farmhouse wins settlement

While travelling in Vietnam in March 2020, David noticed that he was getting breathless while doing normal tasks such as walking up stairs. He underwent tests in Vietnam and was told that he had cancer, which came as a complete shock.

After a difficult trip home following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, David had further tests in the UK and was told that he had mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. He was 57 years old at the time.

After receiving his diagnosis, David instructed Vijay Ganapathy at law firm Leigh Day to investigate his claim.

David recalled being exposed to asbestos while working on a farmhouse in Enfield which was in disrepair and required a complete refurbishment. Despite working as a supervisor, he was very hands-on and frequently got involved in the physical work.

During the refurbishment, David removed and replaced the kitchen floor as the floor tiles, which were made from asbestos, had been damaged. He also worked on the roof of the farmhouse removing similarly damaged old asbestos roof tiles.

As the tiles on the roof and in the kitchen were in poor condition, the removal and clearing process caused asbestos dust to be disturbed and settle on David and his clothing as he worked.

David was not told by his employers that these tiles contained asbestos. In addition, the health and safety information he was provided with while working on the job did not include any information on the dangers of asbestos.

David’s legal team pursued a claim against the company that employed him while he worked at the farmhouse. David sadly passed away from mesothelioma in 2021, but his widow continued the claim after his death.

She settled her claim earlier this year and was awarded a six-figure sum in compensation.

David’s wife said:

“Getting compensation for David was a long and often painful process as we were all devastated by David's diagnosis and premature death. Vijay and his team worked tirelessly on our behalf to reach a settlement and we are now able to move forward with our lives.”

Leigh Day partner Vijay Ganapathy said:

“This is yet another case, where the asbestos exposure was in the 1990s, which shows the dangers caused by asbestos is not just a problem of the past. I am therefore very pleased that a settlement has been reached for our client. David’s diagnosis with mesothelioma came as a huge shock to him and his family, and sadly has since led to his death at a relatively young age. While nothing can truly account for the loss of David, we hope that this settlement can offer some closure for his family.”