Novum Law secures compensation for family of Swindon Railway worker who died due to asbestosis

Novum Law has secured compensation for the family of Alan Neale, who died from asbestosis – often called the ‘Swindon disease’ – years after being exposed to asbestos while working at Swindon’s Great Western Railway repair shop.

Its specialist team of asbestos lawyers supported the Neale family who, tragically, has lost not one, but two loved ones, decades after they worked at the railway in the 1950s, as reported in the Swindon Advertiser.

When Alan Neale and his brother Raymond Neale from Swindon worked at the Great Western Railway, there was widespread use of asbestos there. The railway carriages were lined with asbestos, and the carriages’ roofs were skimmed with an asbestos coating, exposing the brothers to deadly asbestos fibres as they worked.

Sadly, over 35 years after the closure of the repair shops, the devastating effects of Swindon’s asbestos legacy are still being felt.

Alan Neale died in January 2021 at the age of 87. After his death, he was found to have been suffering after with asbestosis, an incurable, chronic lung condition that causes shortness of breath, coughing and chest pains.

Unfortunately, this was a double tragedy for the family, as Alan’s brother Raymond died in 2008 at the age of 76 of mesothelioma, a terminal cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos dust and fibres.

Alan Jolliffe, a specialist asbestos lawyer from Novum Law which has offices at Drakes Meadow, near Greenbridge Retail Park in Swindon, supported Alan Neale’s close family. He says:

“I have been working closely with Alan’s family and I’m pleased that we have secured them the compensation they are entitled to following Alan’s painful, premature death.

“Many people don’t realise that the devastating impact of asbestos can be felt many years after initial exposure. And you don’t need to have been exposed for a long time – even short-term asbestos exposure can lead to serious illness.

“The presence of asbestos on the railways was widespread between the 1950s and 1980s and many workers were unwittingly exposed to it, putting their future health at risk. For one family to lose two much loved family members in this way is especially upsetting.

“While the compensation won’t bring back their loved ones, I’m glad that justice has been served and I hope it offers some relief to the family.”

Alan Neale’s wife, Pamela, who asked Novum Law for help following her husband’s death, says:

“It is a huge relief to get justice for Alan. After he died suddenly at home and we began the process of coming to terms with his loss, we then had the trauma of learning that his death was caused by asbestosis.

“I can’t thank Novum Law enough for all the help, encouragement, and advice you have given me. Alan clearly explained every step of the asbestosis compensation process to us, asking for information about my husband’s work life and medical history.

“Making a claim wasn’t as stressful as I thought it would be, and one year on, it’s such a relief that Alan Jolliffe and the team at Novum Law have won my case. I thought it would come to nothing but I’m so happy with the outcome.”

Novum Law has a team of specialist asbestos lawyers who can help people diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases, like mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pleural disease. Its lawyers can also help family members who have lost loved ones due to asbestos exposure.

There is a 3-year time limit if you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, so it is important to get expert legal advice from a specialist asbestos lawyer as soon as possible.

If you would like more information about making an asbestos claim, call Novum Law today on 0800 884 0777, email info@novumlaw.com or complete our online form.