Key legal victory for Wirral asbestos victim

Nov 25 2009 by Ben Schofield, Bromborough and Bebington News

A WIRRAL family has secured what could prove to be a crucial legal victory for asbestos cancer sufferers.

Enid Costello died after being exposed to asbestos in her workplace.

But, unlike many other mesothelioma victims, Mrs Costello, of Eastham, was never in direct contact with deadly asbestos spores.

When the 74-year-old tried to claim compensation after being diagnosed her ex-employer, Van Leer UK, argued she could not prove her exposure happened at work.

Now the Court of Appeal has ruled Leer, now known as Grief UK, is responsible for the low level exposure. Mrs Costello’s lawyer, Birkenhead-based Norman Jones, said: “They really fought tooth and nail to fight this one to avoid any liability because of the consequences.

“There’s no safe levels when you work in an environment with asbestos around.”

Enid’s daughter, Karen Sienkiewicz, said on behalf of her family: “We have finally been able to obtain closure on a very emotional and painful journey. No one should have had to endure her pain and suffering.

“As this case has so clearly proved, it is not always necessary to have been working in an industrial environment or to have a high level of exposure to asbestos to have contracted this terrible disease.”