Our client, Laura*, was having routine scans for her scleroderma, a rare autoimmune skin condition which she’d been suffering from for years. Scleroderma happens when your body creates too collagen, which makes your skin thick and tight and can cause scars on your organs.
The scans picked up evidence of mesothelioma, a cancer that can develop on internal organs if you’re exposed to asbestos fibres. Laura needed aggressive surgery to remove a tumour.
After her surgery, Laura's vocal cords became damaged and her voice became much quieter, squeakier and hoarse. This meant that Laura, who’s also profoundly deaf, became very reliant on her husband communicating for her.
Laura’s rheumatologist suggested that the scleroderma was actually triggered by her previously undiagnosed mesothelioma.
Laura contacted our specialist asbestos-related disease team. Solicitors Virginia Chalmers and Rebecca Buxton began working with Laura. They started by investigating Laura’s employment history to work out when the asbestos exposure happened.
The suggestion of mesothelioma actually causing her scleroderma made Laura even more determined to find answers. Laura’s scleroderma would often be exhausting for her. It meant she needed lengthy surgery, time to recover from the surgery, and suffered with major communication issues.
While exploring Laura's employment history, Virginia began tracing witnesses and support statements. After seeing our evidence, Laura’s previous employers admitted to breaching their duty to keep Laura safe from asbestos while at work.
Virginia then acquired medical evidence from a range of medical experts including a respiratory consultant, a consultant ENT surgeon, and a consultant rheumatologist. The opinion of these three professionals supported that the breach of duty from Laura’s previous employers caused Laura’s mesothelioma.
We also proved that Laura’s mesothelioma caused the damage to her voice and her scleroderma.
A report from a consultant oncologist also suggested that Laura might be suitable for new treatments if her cancer returns in the future.
Once we had the support of medical experts and an admission from Laura's former employers, we then successfully negotiated a six-figure compensation settlement for Laura.
The settlement also covers the cost of any private medical treatments Laura needs if her cancer comes back. We even negotiated for the settlement to cover the possibility of more advanced future treatments that don’t currently exist.
Thankfully, Laura can now move forward with her life knowing she has the security of proper compensation and funding for future private treatments should she need it. If you or a loved one has suffered from an asbestos related disease, contact our team today on 0370 1500 100 to learn how we may be able to help.
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