Compensation recovered for the family of a former electrical contractor who died from mesothelioma following asbestos exposure at Sellafield Nuclear Power Station

Senior Associate, Laura Wilkinson, was instructed after JM’s death to investigate a claim following his diagnosis with mesothelioma.

JM’s family had had discussions with him over the years and had an idea as to where he likely came into contact with asbestos dust, including through his work as an electrical contractor at Sellafield Nuclear Power Station, Marchon Chemical Works and Vickers Armstrong Shipyard with various contracting companies between the 1960s and 1980s.

More specific exposure evidence was required from someone who worked alongside the deceased at any of the above sites and who could therefore describe exactly how JM disturbed asbestos dust through the course of his work in support of a claim. Witness appeals were therefore placed in two newspapers with a circulation in the geographical areas of the above sites.

A former contractor at Sellafield Nuclear Power Station came forward in response to the later of the two witness appeals. He knew the deceased and worked with him in the same role at one particular contracting company, N G Bailey & Co, at Sellafield Nuclear Power Station between the late 1970s and mid-1980s.

Meanwhile, Laura was in contact with the current owners of Sellafield Nuclear Power Station to seek disclosure of records relating to JM from his time working on site. The owners were eventually able to disclose details confirming when JM worked on the site, by whom he was employed and some of the buildings in which he worked. N G Bailey & Co was confirmed as one of his employers between the late 1970s and early 1990s, which corroborated JM’s HMRC employment history and the witness evidence of his former colleague.

The insurers on risk for N G Bailey & Co originally denied liability and so Laura sought further exposure evidence from other potential witnesses who were traced through JM’s former colleague.

The insurers admitted liability shortly before Court proceedings were due to be issued. The claim settled in a six-figure sum.