Insurers’ battle begins in court
Last updated 12:00, Tuesday, 03 June 2008
A HIGH Court battle which could threaten compensation for future Barrow sufferers of deadly asbestos cancers was due to begin today.
In a series of test cases, insurance firms are claiming that responsibility for compensation payments to sufferers of mesothelioma cancer should be triggered when it is diagnosed and not by the insurers of firms when the victims were first exposed to asbestos in the workplace 30 or 40 years earlier.
A win by insurance companies could have a knock-on effect that might leave new victims of slow to develop mesothelioma – who can currently get payments of £150,000 plus for them and their families – retired and with no one to sue for compensation.
Many with the disease only live for a year after diagnosis.
In Barrow the secretary of the local Trades Union Council Bob Pointer said: “This has come out of the blue.
“Like the pleural plaques decision last year (which ended compensation payments for painless asbestos lung scarring) it is going to affect a lot of people in Barrow if the insurers win.
“With pleural plaques the insurers argued there would be more money that could be spent on sufferers of diseases like mesothelioma, now they are even trying to get out of that. They can’t have it both ways.”
The nine-week test case hearing in London is aimed at settling a fierce legal debate over the point in time when insurers’ liability is “triggered” in respect of mesothelioma, which takes 30 years or more to develop.
Around 2,000 people a year are diagnosed with it including around 15 a year in Barrow, most of them ex-shipyard workers.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Have you seen..?
Have your say
- The academy - have your say
- Who is to blame for Susan Boyle ending up needing treatment?
- Look at what The Secret Millionaire missed in Barrow
- Is dog fouling a problem in your community?
- Should Furness College nursery stay open?
- Should more be done to stop children smoking?
- Is the smoking ban killing pubs?
- Is childcare becoming too expensive?
- Dalton man killed in farm accident
- Fan-tastic
- No prison for Barrow man who groped teen
- New chip shop in Barrow town centre
- Coroner slams Barrow hospital over stillborn baby death
- Cumbrian man admits raping seven-year-old girl
- Farewell show brings curtain down on Barrow school
- Dalton man killed in farm accident still not named
- The academy - have your say
- Long Hoad to recovery for Ulverston monument
- Barrow Raiders star sacked for gross misconduct
- The academy - have your say
- Dalton man killed in farm accident
- Barrow sign England ace Rooney
- Barrow mum and child face deportation
- Barrow Carnival
- Rare skills needed at BAE systems Barrow for submarine
- Coroner slams Barrow hospital over stillborn baby death
- Millom fisherman missing after flash floods
- Manhunt after armed robbers raid Tesco store

