Former Nottingham bank worker wins £900,000 payout after cancer caused by exposure to asbestos

January 15, 2024

A former Nottingham bank worker diagnosed with cancer after being exposed to asbestos more than 40 years ago has been awarded £900,000 compensation from HSBC. The 57-year-old was a junior clerk at the Midland Bank in Alfreton Road in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

She only discovered that she had asbestos-linked mesothelioma when she underwent a chest X-ray following a car crash in 2018. Due to the aggressive nature of the illness, doctors warned that her health could deteriorate quickly, giving her a life expectancy of three to 21 months.

The Beeston woman, who was just 16 when she worked at the bank, later became a qualified academic but was forced to give up work after the diagnosis to undergo life-extending treatment. The case was settled out of court.

The bank has accepted full liability and agreed to a £900,000 payout to reflect her “significant loss of earnings” and to help fund “vital therapies, treatments, and ongoing care needs.”

A lawyer for the team representing the former worker said: “Sadly, there are many people like this who were working in clerical roles in banks and other offices environments that were completely unaware of the presence of asbestos, and the potential harm that it can cause.

“In this case, the employer had been responsible for protecting workers from exposure, yet it failed to take any action to provide protective equipment or to remove the dangerous dust.”

This is valid as of 15th January 2024.

A former Nottingham bank worker diagnosed with cancer after being exposed to asbestos more than 40 years ago has been awarded £900,000 compensation from HSBC. The 57-year-old was a junior clerk at the Midland Bank in Alfreton Road in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

She only discovered that she had asbestos-linked mesothelioma when she underwent a chest X-ray following a car crash in 2018. Due to the aggressive nature of the illness, doctors warned that her health could deteriorate quickly, giving her a life expectancy of three to 21 months.

The Beeston woman, who was just 16 when she worked at the bank, later became a qualified academic but was forced to give up work after the diagnosis to undergo life-extending treatment. The case was settled out of court.

The bank has accepted full liability and agreed to a £900,000 payout to reflect her “significant loss of earnings” and to help fund “vital therapies, treatments, and ongoing care needs.”

A lawyer for the team representing the former worker said: “Sadly, there are many people like this who were working in clerical roles in banks and other offices environments that were completely unaware of the presence of asbestos, and the potential harm that it can cause.

“In this case, the employer had been responsible for protecting workers from exposure, yet it failed to take any action to provide protective equipment or to remove the dangerous dust.”

This is valid as of 15th January 2024.

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