My aunty has washed my uncle’s clothes for decades and when he worked in the industry in earlier years she must have been in contact with the dangerous dust particles. She was recently diagnosed with mesothelioma. Can she get compensation?
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Answer by Neha Sharma, Hillsdale 2036 NSW
- In Australia there have been a few cases where women have contracted an asbestos-related disease through washing and handling their family member’s clothes that have been covered in asbestos dust. Your aunt should speak to a lawyer as soon as possible to discuss her legal options to seek compensation.
- In Australian legal history a few cases have been successfully brought against an employer of a worker whose family member was exposed to dust and which led to a dust disease. This also includes persons who were exposed during childhood due to contact with a person who had exposure to harmful dust during the course of their employment. For example a father who cuddled his young daughter after work and in work clothes covered with harmful dust. Instead of going through a formal hearing most claims are settled during the negotiation and mediation stages of the claim process.