Mesothelioma Litigation

While asbestos-related illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis often afflict blue collar workers who have been directly exposed to the carcinogen, family members who indirectly contacted the material can also suffer the consequences.

According to the Shields Gazette, the family of 80-year-old Annie Shotton is claiming just that, after the woman reportedly died of mesothelioma in December.

Shotton, who was diagnosed with the rare cancer in March 2008, previously claimed that she had never worked with asbestos-containing materials, but that her husband was often exposed to the carcinogen while working for paint companies.

Now, Shotton's family is seeking out her husband's former co-workers to pinpoint specifically where the asbestos exposure may have occurred. Additionally, the family has begun the process to recover asbestos compensation, according to the news provider.

Shotton is one of many UK citizens who has succumbed to malignant mesothelioma, as the Mirror estimates one person dies every five hours in Britain as a result of the illness. Overall, asbestos-related diseases kill approximately 107,000 people around the world each year, according to the World Health Organization.