Former UK worker dies decades after asbestos exposure

September 20th, 2010 -
A UK man who worked at a coal mine, checking pipes that contained asbestos, died on his 75th birthday from malignant mesothelioma, more than four decades after he stopped working at the mine, the Derby Telegraph reports.

Colin Webster of Ilkeston, UK, worked at Coppice Colliery for twelve years and was exposed to asbestos on a daily basis, the inquest at Derby Coroner's Court heard recently. In a statement, Webster said he developed a cough in 2008 and was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. He was admitted to Royal Derby Hospital in October of 2008 and died on November 1, according to the news provider.

In the statement, Webster said he began to notice shortness of breath and a severe cough just before Christmas, became depressed and was prescribed with anti-depressants.

The pathologist who carried out the post-mortem, Andrew Hitchcock, said that he found a large tumor in Webster's right lung and coroner Robert Hunter said he was "satisfied there was asbestos exposure during his employment and that led to the development of malignant mesothelioma."

Many people who suffer from the disease contact mesothelioma lawyers in order to see if legal action can be taken.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 125 million people in the world are exposed to asbestos in the workplace.