We all know the dangers of asbestos these days but its lethal dust is still claiming victims over 50 years after they worked with it. Back then - and even up until the 1970's - work practices failed to address the fatal nature of what was a wonder product for the building and construction industry. Able to withstand heat and also to insulate, asbestos was widely used throughout many industries. Now thousands and thousands of people around the world are paying a high price for working with this "wonder" stuff.
Mesothelioma is a fatal cancer caused from breathing in or ingesting tiny particles or fibres of asbestos. It's a silent killer that lies dormant for many decades before its full symptoms emerge; these include breathlessness and cancerous tumours either in the lungs or within the abdomen. Victims often struggle to recall when they came into contact with asbestos as it can be many decades ago - as in the case of former commercial oven builder Richard Fox Rutter who worked as a fitter for Cox Oven Builders between 1947 and 1951 in Birmingham. Because of its heat resistant qualities asbestos was used extensively in commercial ovens as lagging and insulation. This meant that as a young man in his twenties Mr Rutter was in regular contact with this lethal dust for nearly four years whilst he carried out his job as an oven fitter.
Having recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, leaving him too unwell to care for his wife (who suffers from Alzheimer's) Mr Rutter is suing his former employer for compensation that will help both him and his wife be cared for.
By law the vast majority of businesses in this country have to take out Employer's Liability Insurance. This covers cases such as this, even if the symptoms don't manifest until many years later. Currently these records must be kept for 40 years. A good lawyer will be able to help you locate those all-important Employer's Liability Insurance records of the time in order to pursue your claim.
You can also help your case by recalling work practices at the time and the type of materials you were using. Try and track down old work colleagues who can corroborate your recollections. Mesothelioma support groups can also assist in filling gaps. They have information on the types of materials that contained asbestos, from asbestos paper used in electrical goods, to asbestos concrete used in roof coverings and walls. They may also be able to put you in touch with other victims who have worked in the same or similar industries that worked with asbestos; these can range from construction workers and ship builders to gas fitters and handymen. All these aspects can help piece together valuable evidence for making a claim.
Though the link between exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma was made back in 1960, it continued to be widely used right up until the mid 1970's. Therefore the number of mesothelioma cases is expected to rise sharply over the next 20 years reaching its peak around 2020. After this the number of cases should fall as blue and brown asbestos, the most common cause of mesothelioma, was banned in the UK in 1985. In the meantime more people, just like Mr Rutter, will learn the dreadful truth of how prolonged exposure to asbestos particles at work will cost them their life.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Nick Jervis
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