Man with asbestosis wins record payment in Australia
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Robin Smith, a man in Queensland, Australia, received a $1.9 million compensation payment after developing asbestosis from workplace exposure to asbestos.
Mr. Smith worked as a plumber from the mid-1960s to the 1990s, and inhaled asbestos while cutting into pipes at the Mackay Harbour Board, now North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation Limited, during his work on water lines. The judgement marked the first of its kind in Queensland, and included $800,000 specifically for pain and suffering.
Asbestosis is a chronic and fatal lung condition that can develop 10 to 60 years after asbestos exposure, and Mr. Smith’s doctors estimate his life expectancy is five to six years. The court heard that Mr. Smith will experience worsening respiratory symptoms for over a decade before his death. Mr. Smith’s lawyer, Sean Sweeney of Slater and Gordon, hopes the ruling will encourage more victims to seek compensation.
The firm previously won a $1.2 million case for a man with mesothelioma, another asbestos-related disease. Despite being banned two decades ago, asbestos remains in over six million tonnes in buildings across Australia, and continues to appear in unexpected places like school mulch. NQBP expressed sympathy for Mr. Smith and his family, but declined to comment further due to the ongoing legal complexity involving multiple parties.
