Mesothelioma News

A UK insurance company recently dropped its appeal against a ruling requiring them to pay for the hospice care of an elderly worker who was exposed to asbestos on the job.

While this ruling may clear the way for many more claims against insurers to pay for the hospice care of asbestos victims, this specific case involved James Willson, who worked for a London power plant in the 1950s before developing malignant mesothelioma in 2006, according to the Shields Gazette.

In 2010, a judge ruled that insurer Foster Wheeler Ltd. was required to pay for the 57 days Willson spent in St Joseph's Hospice before he died. The company had originally appealed the ruling but has now dropped its challenge.

Many blue collar workers were exposed to asbestos while working, as the naturally occurring mineral was once widely used as an insulator and flame retardant in many industries, such as construction and shipbuilding. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause a number of serious illnesses such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.

Often times, these diseases aren't diagnosed until they have seriously progressed, so many times a cure is not possible. That is why hospice care can be essential to allow asbestos victims to be comfortable during their final days.