Mesothelioma Litigation

A 65-year-old UK woman recently died of malignant mesothelioma in the middle of her legal fight against her former employer for allegedly causing the asbestos exposure that ultimately led to her death.

Helen Wickings had filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against the Inland Revenue offices in Croydon and Epsom after she was diagnosed with the rare and deadly cancer last April, according to the Sutton Guardian.

Dr. Roy Palmer with Croydon Coroners Court ruled that Wickings died from an asbestos-related occupational disease. The court had heard in a statement from Wickings prepared before her death that she believed she came in contact with the hazardous material while working in the archives at her office.

In September, Wickings spoke with the Croydon Guardian and urged people to be more aware of the dangers posed by asbestos exposure.

"This needs publicity, because other people need to realize they might have been in danger," she told the news source at the time. "I thought it might be bronchitis or pneumonia at first, it just started as a bad cough."

In addition to malignant mesothelioma, asbestos exposure can cause lung cancer and asbestosis.