Family of Mesothelioma Victim Recover Hospice Care Costs

A recent case saw the family of a woman from West Yorkshire, who died after being diagnosed with mesothelioma many years after being exposed to harmful asbestos dust when she washed her husband's work overalls, obtain compensation for the cost of her hospice care from the insurer of the company her husband had worked for.

Prior to her death, aged 78, 11 months after her diagnosis, the woman had initiated an investigation into how she could have developed the disease. It became clear that the most likely cause was exposure to asbestos on the clothes her husband wore during the time he worked at a local factory between 1970 and 1998.

As the illness progressed, the woman received care and support from a hospice in Leeds and was admitted as an inpatient when she could no longer be cared for at home.

After the woman's death, her family praised the high quality of the care provided by the hospice and sought to recover the related costs. To this end, they pursued a claim against her husband's employer and secured £15,000 in compensation. The hospice has been providing end of life care for 40 years and many such organisations are funded exclusively by charitable donations.

It is estimated that 15 per cent of those diagnosed with mesothelioma have developed the disease as a result of secondary exposure, which is just as dangerous as primary exposure. The woman's family intend to pursue a further personal injury claim against the company for the pain and suffering she endured.