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Mr Ken McDonald, of McLean Close, Barrow, was awarded £102,500 in damages on a claim he had filed after diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Mr McDonald was exposed to lethal asbestos fibres during his job at Vickers shipyard in Barrow in the 1960s. He is 67 years old now.
Ken was diagnosed with mesothelioma last October. Nobody is expected to live more than 12 months once diagnosed with this mortal disease.
"I had to carry bags of asbestos for the electricians to use when lagging pipes on the sub when I was working on HMS Dreadnought from 1961 to 1963. Daily I went home covered in asbestos dust but had no idea it could harm me in the future," Ken said.
Mr McDonald contacted Barrow Asbestos Related Disease Support (BARDS) group after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. They arranged a lawyer for him.
Bards also put him in touch with the GMB, his former union.
"The work that has been done by the GMB and my lawyer just shows how important it is to join a union. I was in one when I worked at Vickers. Now, decades later, they have helped me,” Ken said.
Mr McDonald recommended anybody who suspects they have mesothelioma to contact BARDS. He said that he would not have got his interim payment from the government if he hadn't gone to them.
Tom Brennan, the regional secretary of the GMB Northern said that he was please they had been able to win compensation for Mr McDonald during such a difficult time for Ken and his family. "It is important Mr McDonald knew his family would be financially secure,” he said.
Ken appeared happy about the finalization of his claim however, he said that money is not that important as health.
I am relieved to have received this compensation but I would rather have my health back. At least now I know that my wife and family will be provided for. I’m hoping I’m going to live a little bit longer than they said I’m going to,” said Mr McDonald. "Usually when you’re diagnosed with mesothelioma, they give you between two and 12 months. You’ve just got to get on with it and take each day as it comes.”
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