June 7th, 2005

A man that has been awarded almost $200,000 in compensation for asbestos related cancer has passed away before receiving any of his compensation payout. Bill Ewins, aged 71, was a former BHP worker who lived in Northern Adelaide. He passed away only recently after being awarded the asbestos injury payout, sadly before ever seeing even a dollar of it.

Mr. Ewins was a former Whyalla Shipyard worker, and his payout will now go to his widow and family. He worked at the shipyard from 1949 to 1963 as a carpenter. This left him open to exposure to blue asbestos, which was used to spray on to ships still under construction.

Having originally filed his case in Victoria, a high court ruling that cases had to be heard in the state in which the injury was sustained meant that the case was dealt with in South Australia.

The compensation awarded to Mr. Ewins was to cover medical expenses, pain, and suffering. It is thought that he would have received more had the case been heard in Victoria where it was originally filed, as a higher payout tends to be awarded there for pain and suffering of those with asbestos related cancer.