Former plumber paid six-figure settlement after Lambeth Council admits exposing him to asbestos

The 70-year-old man, who we are calling Paul, was employed by Lambeth Council from 1977 to 1986.  

Paul started out as a “fitter’s mate”, installing and repairing heating and ventilation systems in council-owned properties. He stripped asbestos lagging from water tanks and pipework and replaced old asbestos gaskets which he recalls “crumbled to dust” as he removed them.   

Paul regularly worked in service ducts on the Stockwell Garden Estate. These were confined spaces located under the flats, filled with asbestos lagged pipes.  

His asbestos exposure continued into the 1980s, working with asbestos insulation boards, flue pipes and asbestos rope seals.   

In 2023, Paul was working as a school caretaker, when he began experiencing shortness of breath. The following year, Paul was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a form of cancer primarily caused by exposure to asbestos. He went on to take part in a clinical trial, which left him seriously unwell. 

Paul instructed Catriona Ratcliffe, a solicitor from the asbestos team at Leigh Day to investigate his case. 

After receiving his evidence, Lambeth Council admitted it had exposed Paul to asbestos and was responsible for his illness.  

Paul told his legal team he had enjoyed being a caretaker and previously had no plans to stop working. Following his diagnosis and during treatment, he realised it would not be possible to continue and he would lose this financial income. 

Along with the loss of his income, a significant concern for Paul was care for his wife who is registered disabled. Paul had always been her carer, and expert evidence confirmed her care needs would significantly increase in the future. In his absence, there would be no one available to provide the same level of support. 

Although defendants usually resist paying compensation for the provision of future care for a dependant during a person’s lifetime, the strength of the evidence in Paul’s case, ensured this part of the claim was successful.  

In addition to the sum of £720,000, the settlement also allows Paul to return for further compensation should he need additional private medical treatment. 

Catriona Ratcliffe, senior associate solicitor in Leigh Day’s asbestos team said: 

"For decades, Paul and his wife have coped together to manage her care needs with no outside support. It can be difficult to identify and define this type of care when it has become such an intrinsic part of everyday life. This risks that loss being undervalued or missed altogether. 

“It was vital to use the right medical and care experts to assess the needs of Paul’s wife now and in the future to ensure this part of the claim was calculated correctly. The strength of that evidence ensured Paul received a sum sufficient to provide care for his wife when he is no longer able to do so. 

“There has been significant progress in the treatment of mesothelioma in recent years. Without people like Paul stepping forward for clinical trials, this would have been impossible. While Paul’s condition has thankfully stabilised, should it progress, there are limited options open to him within the NHS, in part because of his previous involvement in a clinical trial. So ensuring the cost of future private medical treatment was covered was also particularly important to him.”