January 30th, 2007

The widow of a young victim of asbestos exposure has won her battle for compensation in the UK. Her late partner is thought to have been the youngest victim of the asbestos related cancer, mesothelioma, having been just 32 years of age when he died. The man died after inhaling asbestos dust and fibers from his father’s work clothing as a child.

Barry Welch died in April 2005 from the asbestos related cancer, and his wife Claire, from Leicester in England, sought legal assistance in order to claim compensation. The former employer of Barry’s father, Palmers Limited, was the defendant and a civil case was filed against the company. Reports state that a separate hearing will not take place early this year with regards to reaching a settlement figure.

A solicitor acting on behalf of the plaintiff stated: "Claire was determined to carry on the legal fight which Barry himself launched when he discovered that he had contracted the fatal disease. He was only too aware that mesothelioma is an aggressive illness for which there is sadly no cure at present and one can only imagine how devastating this diagnosis was, given that he was just 32 years old, with a young family. This judgement is a testament to both Claire and Barry's determination to fight for justice.”

He added: "This was a particularly unusual case and possibly even the first of its kind. Although a number of previous mesothelioma cases have involved the wives of workers who have been exposed to asbestos whilst laundering their husbands' asbestos contaminated work clothes, it is extremely rare to come across a case like Barry's where a child was exposed through asbestos dust carried home on a parent's clothing. As a result of a public appeal a number of important witnesses came forward and their evidence was key in helping us to prove that Barry's exposure and illness were a result of negligence by Palmers Ltd."