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Asbestos killed retired labourer
Verdict could lead to compensation
A RETIRED labourer died from asbestos-related disease after cutting up the toxic substance in the 1960s, an inquest heard.
John Hawkins, 71, died from pneumonia in July after a long battle with emphysema and asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs caused by breathing in the now-banned building material asbestos.
St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard on Thursday how father-of-five Mr Hawkins, of Shearling Way off Caledonian Road, was taken to the Whittington Hospital in Archway in July after his longstanding breathlessness suddenly worsened and he developed a temperature.
In a ruling that could pave the way for Mr Hawkins’ family to access compensation, coroner Dr Andrew Reid recorded a verdict of industrial death after viewing scans of Mr Hawkins’s lungs taken over a period of years. They demonstrated a deterioration in his lung tissue caused by the toxic material, which left them with a “lacey” appearance.
His wife Maureen told the court how her husband, who also had nine grandchildren, had come into contact with the material nearly 50 years ago.
“They would get extra money for working with asbestos because nobody knew how bad it was,” she said.
It was only later, when warning reports began to appear in the press, that he realised the damage it may have done to him, she added.
Mr Hawkins, who was also a heavy smoker, had severe coronary artery disease which pathologist Dr Freddy Patel ruled was the primary cause of death, but Dr Reid overturned his findings on the grounds that the biopsy he did of the lungs was too limited to show up the extent of its disease.
He said: “The cause of death was pneumonia due to or as a consequence of emphysema and asbestosis.
“The autopsy also shows a degree of ischaemic heart disease.
“This contributed to his death but was not the primary cause.”
Speaking outside court, his wife thanked the staff at the Whittington hospital for extending his life.
Paying tribute to her husband, Mrs Hawkins described him as a “very happy character” who loved people, gardening and darts, and was a regular at the
Coronet pub in Holloway Road.
He leaves behind five daughters.
Verdict: industrial disease. |
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