£155k payout for Royal Mail asbestos widow

THE widow of a former post office worker who was exposed to asbestos in a Nottingham depot has finally received a settlement of £155,000.

The Royal Mail refused to accept liability for the death of 64-year-old Keith Russell, even though it was given evidence to prove there were cancer-causing fibres at the Brook Street building in Sneinton where he worked.

An inquest into his death confirmed the 64-year-old's mesothelioma was caused by long-term exposure to asbestos at work.

The Royal Mail still claimed there was no evidence to prove he had been "negligently exposed" to asbestos at work, but has still agreed on a £155,000 out-of-court settlement with his wife, Lesley.

Mrs Russell, 66, from Thorneywood said: "I would have liked them to admit liability because of everyone else, there are bound to have been others."

She now hopes other staff who have become ill since working at Royal Mail's old Sneinton base will try to claim compensation.

"There were an awful lot of people who worked in there so there will be other people coming forward in the future," Mrs Russell said.

Stephen Hattersley, partner at law firm Godloves, who worked on the case for Mrs Russell, said her husband's colleagues gave evidence asbestos was present in the building.

He said: "If there are any other current asbestos victims who have attempted to bring claims but been deterred by the defendant's denials, this may prompt them to revisit their cases.

"I hope anyone who previously worked there who is currently free of symptoms may take some comfort from knowing that, if the worst were to happen to them, Royal Mail would not be able to escape their liability."

Mr Russell worked for the Royal Mail in different jobs between 1957 and 1992, but only became ill a year before his death.

The Royal Mail refused to comment on the case, saying it "would not comment on any out-of-court settlement."

robert.parsons@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk