Occupational Diseases: Widow Wins Mesothelioma Case

The widow of a man who is believed to have been exposed to asbestos from sitting on his stepfather's knee has won a lawsuit against the former employer of her late husband's stepfather. Barry Welch, from England, is believed to have contracted mesothelioma from childhood exposure to asbestos. His asbestos exposure was linked to the dust and fibers that his stepfather brought home from work.

Man gets asbestos cancer mesothelioma 'after sitting on stepfather's knee'

Welch was diagnosed with asbestos in May of 2004 and died 11 months later, at the age of 32. The insurance firm Zurich conceded negligence on the behalf of Palmers Limited, Welch's stepfather's former company. Welch's stepfather, Roger Bugby, worked as a scaffolder at Kingsnorth Power Station from 1977 to 1979. Welch often would sit on Bugby's lap after Bugby had returned home from work; the law firm representing the Welch family argued that "this exposure as a child led to Barry contracting mesothelioma in later life."