Asbestos-fight families win six-figure payout
A TWO-YEAR fight for asbestos-related compensation against a former Hartlepool shipbuilding firm has seen the families of two workers share a six-figure award.
The two clients of Askews Solicitors, which has offices in Stockton and Redcar, succeeded in their claims against William Gray and Company Ltd, which closed in 1968.
They shared a £100,000-plus payout following a dogged fight by Askews’ personal injury specialist, partner Chris Buckland.
“We hit a lot of setbacks along the way, but I was determined not to give up,” he said. “The outcome for these two very deserving cases more than makes up for all of the hard work.”
Of the two victims, only one survives. He was diagnosed with an asbestos-linked illness in 2005. The second died of the lung disease mesothelioma.
“Both cases hinged on us being able to establish that the company could be legally recognised in spite of it having gone out of business almost 40 years previously,” said Mr Buckland.
Hartlepool was recently revealed to be one of the Health and Safety Executive’s asbestos black spots.
Latest figures showed Stockton suffering the highest number of asbestos related deaths between 1981-2005 at 171 - placing it 21st in the national mortality rate table. But trends showed that Hartlepool was likely to register an even higher number over the next few years.
