Personal injury news

Asbestos widow awarded injury compensation payout

A grieving widow has finally been awarded personal injury compensation of £250,000 after a monumental two-year legal battle.

Rufina Hart won the sum in an out-of-court settlement following the death of her husband from the terrible asbestos-related disease mesothelioma in May 2004.

Father-of-two Keith is thought to have contracted the industrial disease as a result of 22 years of working for Pantheon UK, a multinational drug company. His job as a maintenance worker involved removing asbestos tiles and working on wall panels containing the dust, causing him to be regularly exposed to the deadly substance.

Although he discovered he was suffering from mesothelioma in 2002, he kept the news secret from his family, not wanting to upset them. His heartbroken wife said, "Keith didn't tell me because he was worried about me bringing up our two children.

"I could hear him crying at night and then one day he told me what was wrong and that he had six months to live."

Since Mr Hart passed away, Pantheon have systematically denied any part in his industrial disease, but decided to make the personal injury compensation payment in order to avoid a court case.

Paying tribute to her late husband, Mrs Hart said, "He was a wonderful man, one of the best, and although I feel some justice has been done, no amount of money will bring him back."