It is a scandal that the use of asbestos in industry continued for so long, unnecessarily exposing innocent workers to high levels of asbestos dust, despite laws and regulations stipulating more protection for employees. Those regulations were ignored for years.
Bob Pointer who was interviewed in the Evening Mail on the 17th July is a modest man who strived for most of his life to help protect and support workers. He has been involved in CARDS (Cumbria Asbestos Related Disease Support Group) for many years and is running the group which supports victims of asbestos exposure and their families. He has campaigned to raise awareness of exposure and to promote claims for compensation.
At Poole Townsend we have worked with our clients, with Bob, to give them the help and legal support they need. For 25 years, we have been helping people diagnosed with asbestos related disease, supporting them with advice in respect of compensation.
For many years we have helped hundreds to claim compensation for pleural plaques. Victims can no longer claim compensation for pleural plaques but they can continue to claim compensation for other asbestos related disease such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and pleural thickening.
As Bob points out in the article, the asbestos legacy, particularly in the shipyard in Barrow in Furness, is a ticking time bomb for most families in Barrow.
The fight for compensation is not all that we can help you with. The damages you receive are rightly ring fenced against any means tested benefits that you receive but only for a limited period of time. It is essential to look at trust arrangements to maintain those exemptions.
Money needs to be invested to make sure it does what you need it to do. We have independent financial advisers in house to help.
You may need to give powers of attorney to a family member to take up the work if you are no longer strong enough to do it yourself. And it is important that you plan your Will properly to make sure that compensation goes where you want it to after your day.
If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos related disease or you have any concerns about asbestos exposure, please contact Lindsey Bayles or Joanne Copeland at Poole Townsend on 01229 811811.