A Country Durham-based woman has received a large accident compensation payout after her husband died as a result of the cancer mesothelioma, which he contracted after coming into contact with asbestos at work.
The man, a senior chemistry lecturer at York St John University, carried out laboratory experiments involving asbestos during his employment between 1963 and 1975.
He carried out the experiments described in the textbook entitled 'Chemistry, Collected Experiments', which was published in 1967.
Following his mesothelioma diagnosis in 2008, the lecturer died just nine months later. His widow has been awarded what is said to be a "substantial" amount of compensation in an out-of-court settlement. The exact amount of accident compensation paid to the woman has not been announced.
The widow said, "The settlement will never bring my husband back but I am pleased that the organisation he worked for had acknowledged the conditions that caused his death."
The legal team working for the widow said that the York St John University had 'needlessly exposed workers to the dangers of asbestos dust, without providing any protection.'
A spokesperson for the university reassured current employees of the university, saying that it was 'satisfied that there was no present day risk of exposure to asbestos.'