March 26th, 2007
A car mechanic has won hundreds of thousands of pounds (GBP) in compensation after he contracted an asbestos related diseases as the result of working with asbestos. Asbestos is a substance that has been used in many applications and industries in the past, including in various car parts such as brakes and clutches. Exposure to this substance at high levels over a long period of time can cause a range of health problems, including a form of cancer.
Fifty-year-old Jonathan Hutchinson from the UK was awarded three hundred thousand GBP from a former employer after he contracted mesothelioma, which is a form of cancer directly linked to asbestos exposure, and can affect the heart, lung, or abdominal regions. This cancer can take several decades to develop after the time of exposure.
Hutchinson was diagnosed with the cancer in 2003 and had to have an operation to remove part of his lung in 2004 in order to extend his lifespan. He worked as a mechanic in the 1970s and 1980s for a number of firms. Part of his job was stripping brake pads, which left him open to exposure to airborne asbestos dust.
Hutchinson stated: 'I hope that other people who suffer terminal illness can find a way to deal with it. Perhaps seeing that I received radical surgery will encourage them and give them some comfort.'
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