June 5th, 2007

A man who is dying from mesothelioma is battling for compensation for this asbestos related disease – three months after he was supposed to have died. The man, from the UK, was told a year ago that he had just nine months to live after being diagnosed with the asbestos related cancer mesothelioma, but twelve months on he is still around and ready to fight for compensation.

Sixty-four year-old Edward Anderson is looking to claim compensation from his former employers, Balfour Kilpatrick, after working as an electrician for the firm in the 1960s. He worked at Sizewell A Nuclear Power Station, and claims that he was exposed to asbestos during his time working for the firm.

Forty years after leaving the company Mr. Anderson was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He stated: "It was Christmas 2005 when I started getting chest infections and my doctor sent me to a chest clinic. I had an exploratory operation but we all knew before the results came back what it was."

He added: "When I was first told it came as a complete shock, it's the last thing you think about when you have been left somewhere so many years. At Sizewell I had installed a copper tape earthing system from electrical motors and pumps and it was at floor level so I had to sweep the floor. Asbestos is something I wouldn't have dreamed of thinking about at the time. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time."