Peritoneal malignant mesothelioma claim

Mr N from Northamptonshire instructed Hodge Jones & Allen solicitors following a diagnosis of peritoneal malignant mesothelioma, a rarer form of the disease affecting the lining of the abdomen. This was caused by lengthy exposure to asbestos dust at work.

Mr N was exposed to heavy amounts of the deadly dust by two former employers, Saunders & Taylor Limited, and Matthew Hall Mechanical Services Limited, between 1962 and 1997. He worked for the companies as a pipe fitter and was involved in removing asbestos-lagged pipework from inside old buildings and boiler houses over a 30-year period.

Isobel Lovett represented Mr N in his case. She initially helped Mr N secure a weekly payment of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and a lump sum payment from the government.

As Saunders & Taylor Limited had gone into liquidation, an urgent court application was made to prevent the company from being dissolved so Mr N’s claim could proceed.

At the initial hearing, where a judge decides if the employers have a real prospect of defending the case, judgement was entered against both Defendants on liability, based on the strength of Mr N’s evidence. Following this decision, he was awarded an interim payment of damages, pending a final assessment of his case.

His claim initially included the costs of immunotherapy, a new form of treatment for mesothelioma not yet available on the NHS.

The case was concluded shortly before the final hearing, with both sides making offers to settle. The Defendants accepted Mr N’s offer of a six-figure sum.