Its been a wild week this week.
Tuesday we set off for London the train got so far then we slowed right down and was told by the guard that a tree was down. We waited half an hour then we were told that the men hadn’t even got to the site to deal with it so we would return back to Rochester.
We did this and decided that no way would we make our appointment at Lombard Street so we made our way home again.
What a waste of time.
Thursday saw us off to the Bridgewood Hotel for the Irwinmichell Pathology and Inquests in Asbestos Related Deaths. Ian Bailey soon put me at my ease. I didn’t know what to expect but we all gathered laughing and hugging with old and new friends and had coffee. Larraine Creech spoke about the Mesothelioma UK Nurses. Dr John Moore-Gillion from St Barts Talked about Asbestos Related Disease clinical Investigation and the relevance from a medico legal perspective.
Consultant Physician St Bartholomew’s Hospital 1988 – 2010, now Emeritus Consultant Physician at Bart’s and Royal London Hospitals and in independent medical practice at King Edward VIIs Hospital and The London Clinic.
Expert Witness in cases involving occupational lung disease including asbestos-related conditions, silicosis, coal mining and other aspects of respiratory medicine.Has prepared reports in over 4,000 individual cases, and in class actions involving up to 500,000 claimants. Expert in four cases which have reached House of Lords/Supreme Court, and others to Court of Appeal. Medico-legal practice is international, and in the past three years has advised on the management of multi-claimant actions on four different continents. Author of over 50 book chapters, invited review articles and original scientific research papers.
Dr Richard Attanooss spoke about Pathology in Asbestos related disease.
Consultant Pathologist at Cardiff and Vale UHB
DR. RICHARD L. ATTANOOS, M.B B.S., F.R.C. Path. qualified in Medicine in London in 1987. He is a practising Consultant Pathologist in Cardiff, and Head of School of Laboratory Specialties (Associate Dean) at Cardiff University, Wales, U.K. He has a special interest in occupational and environmental pulmonary pathology, especially asbestos related disease and mineral fiber analysis. Dr. Attanoos is an invited member of the International Mesothelioma Panel and Asbestosis Guidelines Committee of the College of American Pathologists-Pulmonary Pathology Society. He has over 120 scientific publications, 27 book chapters and one book ‘Mesothelioma’. Dr. Attanoos has served as contributing author for the 4th Edition of the International Agency for Research on Cancer / World Health Organisation Classification of Tumours of the Lung, Pleura, Thymus and Heart (subsection Malignant Mesothelioma). He has advised both the All-Party Parliamentary Committee of the British Government and Welsh Assembly on the Health Effects of Asbestos.
After a break it was the turn of a lovely lady who told the story of her husband’s death and the way she was spoken to and things that went wrong. It was a very sad story of her husbands PM and she wasn’t kept up to date with what was going on.
My heart went out to her..
Then it was myself Ian Bayley interviewed me as we sat in front of everyone. No Notes just a good honest Question and Answer to get my story across and he asked me all about the Mavis Nye Foundation and the Launch which he has booked a table for.
Lunch Cam Next and it was one of the best we have had at these Conferences. Ray was able to eat which makes a change.
Back in the room it was a Stakeholder Panel Discussion. Current Experiences and Learning Points.
- Communication around asbestos related deaths
- Obligations to investigate
- What to expect at the inquest
- How to prepare and cope on the day
Michael Rawlinson QC Barrister from 12 Kings Bench walk London spoke about The use of evidence from Post Mortems in Compensation claims.
Michael has been involved in a number of GLOs in the past including both Coal Mining Schemes, the ‘Toxic Sofas’ litigation. More recently he has been instructed by a number of insurers in combination to seek contribution to their asbestos-related outlay arising under Employers’ liability policies, against the historical manufacturer of asbestos boards.
Legal attribution of the death to asbestos:
- Mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis
- Use of the post mortem to establish life expectancy, but for the mesothelioma
- Why defendants might insist on post mortem
Another refreshment break. I needed it this was very hard going. Law has so many words I don’t understand so you have to concentrate to keep getting through.
Patricia Harding, Senior Coroner for mid-Kent & Medway
The current practice in asbestos related death • The inquest hearing and the involvement of the family • Evidence available for inquest – When is fibre analysis helpful? • Inquests in the context of litigation.
I learnt the White Asbestos is clumped and that breaks down within 100 days and disperses and passes right through so at a PM no fibres are seen hence this is why it is said white isn’t dangerous but it is as it has caused a cancer to start and grow.
Amosite is retained for 20years and Blue is 7/8 years.
I also learnt that I will not need a PM as I have records of Mesothelioma but I’m not able to claim so this helps the Coroner to say a PM is not Necessary. Ray is so relieved to hear this.
Radiation can cause cancer was noted so I wonder if a patient that had Breast Cancer should have Radiation?
Wow what a Conference.
Well its late so I will write about today tomorrow and say good night
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