A TYNESIDE father with an asbestos-related lung condition has backed a campaign to win back compensation denied to thousands of workers.
Fred Hewitt has lived with pleural plaques for four years and has the constant fear of developing the lung cancer mesothelioma as a result.
The 73-year-old former ship building worker is calling on the Government to bring in new legislation to overturn a House of Lords ruling that denies victims the right to compensation.
The decision removed the right to compensation, a right that had existed for 20 years until insurance companies argued successfully to end the pay-outs and the Lords ruled on it last year.
In almost every case the condition is caused by workers being exposed to asbestos due to negligence of their employers.
Mr Hewitt is backing Blaydon Labour MP Dave Anderson who was among those debating the issue in parliament this week.
Fellow Blyth Valley and Wansbeck MPs Ronnie Campbell and Denis Murphy have signed a Commons motion that urges action on the issue of pleural plaques. They are urging secretary of state for justice Jack Straw to help reverse the decision. Mr Anderson branded the situation “disgraceful”.
“Workers have been injured through negligent exposure to asbestos by their employers and insurance companies have been allowed to get out of paying them the compensation they are due.
“The Government should do everything in their power to put this injustice right.
“Thousands of workers are affected, particularly in industrial areas like Tyneside, their lungs have been damaged and they face increased risk of fatal illness.”
Mr Hewitt, a father of four from Fellside, South Shields, was diagnosed with pleural plaques in 2004 and suffers from chest infections and shortness of breath. The condition could develop into mesothelioma at any time.
“I very much worry about that and it is constantly in my mind,” said Mr Hewitt.
“I am glad someone is trying to push this through as it is an injustice to all of us and an absolute disgrace.”
For 20 years, pleural plaques sufferers were able to claim compensation where it was proved their former employers were to blame for the exposure.
The right to compensation was established in the High Court in 2005 but the insurance companies successfully appealed that decision and the Law Lords gave a final ruling late last year.
“What amazes me is that originally when people were diagnosed with pleural plaques they got compensation but the insurance companies challenged it and won,” said Mr Hewitt.
“How can they say one moment it is detrimental to a person’s health then the next that it is not.
“I want to see this ruling overturned.”
Asbestos related disease is the biggest cause of work related death in this country. More than 2,000 people will die from mesothelioma this year alone and tens of thousands will die over the next decade.”
MPs also called for the Government to force the insurers to set up a fund to compensate the victims for asbestos disease whose claims fail because their employer no longer exists and an insurer cannot be traced.
It is estimated that the House of Lords ruling will save insurance companies £1.4bn.
Fred Hewitt has lived with pleural plaques for four years and has the constant fear of developing the lung cancer mesothelioma as a result.
The 73-year-old former ship building worker is calling on the Government to bring in new legislation to overturn a House of Lords ruling that denies victims the right to compensation.
The decision removed the right to compensation, a right that had existed for 20 years until insurance companies argued successfully to end the pay-outs and the Lords ruled on it last year.
In almost every case the condition is caused by workers being exposed to asbestos due to negligence of their employers.
Mr Hewitt is backing Blaydon Labour MP Dave Anderson who was among those debating the issue in parliament this week.
Fellow Blyth Valley and Wansbeck MPs Ronnie Campbell and Denis Murphy have signed a Commons motion that urges action on the issue of pleural plaques. They are urging secretary of state for justice Jack Straw to help reverse the decision. Mr Anderson branded the situation “disgraceful”.
“Workers have been injured through negligent exposure to asbestos by their employers and insurance companies have been allowed to get out of paying them the compensation they are due.
“The Government should do everything in their power to put this injustice right.
“Thousands of workers are affected, particularly in industrial areas like Tyneside, their lungs have been damaged and they face increased risk of fatal illness.”
Mr Hewitt, a father of four from Fellside, South Shields, was diagnosed with pleural plaques in 2004 and suffers from chest infections and shortness of breath. The condition could develop into mesothelioma at any time.
“I very much worry about that and it is constantly in my mind,” said Mr Hewitt.
“I am glad someone is trying to push this through as it is an injustice to all of us and an absolute disgrace.”
For 20 years, pleural plaques sufferers were able to claim compensation where it was proved their former employers were to blame for the exposure.
The right to compensation was established in the High Court in 2005 but the insurance companies successfully appealed that decision and the Law Lords gave a final ruling late last year.
“What amazes me is that originally when people were diagnosed with pleural plaques they got compensation but the insurance companies challenged it and won,” said Mr Hewitt.
“How can they say one moment it is detrimental to a person’s health then the next that it is not.
“I want to see this ruling overturned.”
Asbestos related disease is the biggest cause of work related death in this country. More than 2,000 people will die from mesothelioma this year alone and tens of thousands will die over the next decade.”
MPs also called for the Government to force the insurers to set up a fund to compensate the victims for asbestos disease whose claims fail because their employer no longer exists and an insurer cannot be traced.
It is estimated that the House of Lords ruling will save insurance companies £1.4bn.
This article was originally published on a webpage of journallive on January 26,2008
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