Whilst working on three tower blocks in Stratford, East London between 1975 and 1977, Mr Dahele was regularly exposed to asbestos dust and fibres. He was required to saw and drill asbestos sheets and was showered with asbestos-laden dust and debris as scaffolding was removed from above him.
Mr Dahele was diagnosed with mesothelioma - a cancer of the lining of the lungs, only caused by exposure to asbestos. It is amongst the most difficult cancers to treat and the disease is notorious for its slowness to develop and for the agony suffered by its victims.
Mr Dahele had received Pemetrexed (Alimta) and Cisplatin chemotherapy at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London but had been told by his treating consultant Dr Jeremy Steele, director of Bart's Mesothelioma Research, that although a further course would be beneficial it would not be available on the NHS. As a result, we included the cost of obtaining it via the private sector in the court action.
Acting for Mr Dahele, law firm, Fieldfisher sued the company for which he worked as a carpenter at the time - Thomas Bates and Son Ltd, of The Old Brick Works, Romford. The company admitted liability after cross-examining him at his home. At court the company conceded Mr Dahele's claim for nursing care and equipment in the sum of £18,593.26, the cost of private chemotherapy treatment in the sum of £20,000 and in respect of the lost years claim a reduction of 25% rather than the usual 50%.