A 77-year-old United Kingdom mesothelioma patient claims she became sick from washing her husband asbestos-covered work clothes. She now seeks $311,000 (in U.S. currency) in damages from her husband's former employer.
The U.K. news website EDP 24 reports that between 1975 and 1977, Joyce Harding's husband Arthur worked as an assistant caretaker for a London-based housing association. According to papers filed in court, the housing association allowed Arthur Harding to be exposed to asbestos.
It also allowed him to return home, every day, in his contaminated work clothes. In doing so, it was putting him and his family at risk of developing an asbestos-related illness.
The court papers state: After greeting Mrs. Harding with a kiss and a hug he would remove his overalls. The claimant would then shake off the dust before washing the overalls. She would do this in the kitchen which itself would then become contaminated with the asbestos fibers and dust.
Arthur Harding worked around boilers and pipes covered in asbestos-based insulation. Part of his job was sweeping up the dust and debris, which would cover his overalls, hair, and body with asbestos fibers, according to EDP 24.
The Hardings were unaware of the dangers carried in that dust. But in January 2012, Joyce Harding began to develop symptoms of mesothelioma, including persistent nausea, vomiting, and weight loss. By May she was suffering from shortness of breath and chest pain. In July she was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an incurable and aggressive cancer.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Sokolove Law for a mesothelioma lawsuit case evaluation today.