Yorkshire’s power stations could claim their first victims under the former of workers that helped build them. Already, many of them have started showing symptoms of asbestosis or mesothelioma, diseases caused solely by asbestos exposure.
When the power stations such as Drax and Eggborough were built asbestos was used for pipe insulation. People that worked using those materials are facing mesothelioma death, and the number of claims is increasing by the month.
One of the former workers diagnosed with terminal asbestosis is John Ullathorne. He was told by the doctor that he only has eight years to live. He worked the plants 20 years, draping the pipes in the potential “killer”. Mr. Ullathorne filed for a claim and received 110000 pounds as compensation. Even so, he said that no amount of money can compensate for his state of health. He is 69, living in Mulberry Avenue, Moorends. He said that it could have been a million, and it wouldn’t have made a difference. The situation would have been the same for him. He also believes that the contractors could not take the asbestos off the plant because it is simply too large. Mr. Ullathorne believes that the only solution would have been to shut the station down. He remembers the cleaning ladies hired to wash the overalls.
Solicitors in the area are dealing with an increasingly high number of asbestosis and mesothelioma compensation claims. Experts say that the peak of asbestos disease case number will be reached in 2020, and the last case should be seen in 2047. Even families of the former workers have been known to develop the disease after their loved ones brought asbestos fibers home from work on heir clothes. Lawyers and law firms in the area deal with difficulties in finding the contractors. Making them admit liability is even more difficult.
As a conclusion, we can only advise to seek medical and legal advice if you are facing such problems in the area, and also talk to your loved ones about, as asbestos exposure will keep showing signs long after these first few cases.