A pensioner who developed a deadly form of lung cancer decades after coming into contact with asbestos in the workplace has won a six-figure compensation settlement.

The 72-year-old man worked as an engineer for a motor vehicle manufacturer between 1953 and 1958. For most of this time, he was working in a foundry in which the pipe work was lagged with asbestos. He usually worked in close proximity to the pipes and the foundry was very dirty and dusty.

The man subsequently left engineering and went to work in the public sector. In 2006, however, he developed a cough and chest pains and frequently felt lethargic. He underwent various treatments, none of which was effective, before eventually being diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs.

Mesothelioma is a deadly disease, almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. It can manifest itself decades after exposure and is usually at an advanced stage by the time symptoms appear.

Following an appeal for witnesses from the 1950s, it was possible to gather enough evidence to make a successful claim against the man’s former employer. The insurers settled the case for £162,000.

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