North Herts pays out ‘six-figure sum’ in asbestos-related settlement

North Hertfordshire District Council has become the latest local authority to accept a liability to a former employee over an asbestos-related claim.

The council has paid a six-figure sum to Michael Brandon who worked as a carpenter for the authority for three years 30 years ago.

According to his lawyers, Irwin Mitchell, Mr Brandon maintained council buildings and houses “where he regularly came into contact with asbestos”. The 69-year old has recently been diagnosed with a terminal asbestos-related cancer.

A spokesperson for North Hertfordshire District Council said: “We can confirm that a settlement has been agreed in the case of Mr Brandon relating to his employment with North Hertfordshire District Council between October 1979 and October 1982.”

Brandon was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease mesothelioma in July 2011, six months after he began experiencing breathlessness and other symptoms. Mesothelioma - unlike other asbestos-related conditions such as asbestosis - can occur after very slight contact with asbestos. “There are well documented cases of wives washing their husbands’ contaminated overalls and developing mesothelioma many years later,” say Irwin Mitchell. In Mr Brandon’s case, he was removing damaged asbestos-based roofing and fire-resistant linings from buildings and then cutting and fitting replacement asbestos sheets.

Joanne Jefferies, a specialist asbestos disease lawyer from Irwin Mitchell’s London office, said: “Although nothing can turn back the clock, we have secured a vital settlement from North Hertfordshire District Council which provides Michael with the comfort of knowing that his family are provided for in future. Through no fault of his own he was exposed to asbestos but he has now received some justice for the negligence he suffered 30 years ago.

“Asbestos is the biggest occupational killer of all time. So many people have suffered serious and terminal health problems due to the failure of employers to adequately acknowledge the dangers of working with the material and provide protective clothing.” Irwin Mitchell has the largest asbestos disease litigation team in the UK, and has represented thousands of victims.

Mesothelioma claims are expected to peak in 2015 and 2016, and a number of councils have set up reserves to pay the liabilities they expect. Use of asbestos was not as extensive in local government as among private sector engineering companies. However, mesothelioma usually takes between 10 and 60 years to develop after original contact with the mineral which became popular among builders because of its affordability, sound absorption, fire resistance and other features.

Neasa MacErlean