Personal injury news

Asbestosis kills popular landlord

A popular Berkshire publican died from bronchial pneumonia caused by asbestosis, an inquest has heard.

James Sullivan, landlord of The Golden Farner in Easthampstead, died in August 2005 in Wexham Park Hospital surrounded by his family. Known as Jim to his regulars, he had been ill for some time and had been diagnosed with suspected asbestosis.

The inquest at Windsor Guildhall heard that a post-mortem revealed asbestos fibres in the lungs of the 64-year-old, and recorded a verdict of death by industrial disease (asbestosis).

Mr Sullivan was a popular man in the pub trade and had run The Golden Farmer for a year with his partner Cindy Wood. Friends have described him as ‘extremely generous’ and he regularly held charity auctions at the pub in aid of the Tom Prince Trust, a charity set up after the tragic death of a teenage cancer sufferer.

Before becoming a publican, Sullivan had worked in several jobs, and had served in the merchant navy as a young man. It is thought that this service could possibly have contributed to his asbestosis. It is unknown, however, if his family are planning to make a compensation claim.