Family win payout on asbestos death

The family of a Great Barr man who died after being exposed to asbestos during his job have won a six-figure payout – nine years after his death.

Derek Hoult of Kinross Crescent was 64 when he died in November 2001 after suffering a malignant tumour on the lining of his chest.

He left behind wife Gwen, now 73, daughter Karen Wright, 43, and son Stuart Hoult, 40. The former driver had worked for timber merchants Rudders and Payne in Hockley, Birmingham, in the late 1950s and early 1960s delivering asbestos ceiling panels for use in the building industry.

After his death, his family mounted a legal battle for justice and have now been awarded the undisclosed payout.

They have also raised thousands for the British Lung Foundation, with daughter Karen asking people to donate money to the charity instead of buying gifts for her 40th birthday.

As Mr Hoult's former employer ceased trading many years ago, the family had been unable to track down its insurers.

However, in 2008, Alida Coates from Irwin Mitchell Solicitors who represented the family discovered documents which were part of an unrelated claim, which led her to identify Zurich as the insurer.

Zurich initially refused to pay out, claiming that the legal action was out of time.

However, it finally backed down and agreed the out-of-court settlement.

Asda worker Karen, who lives in Thornbridge Avenue, Great Barr, with builder husband Chris, 54, and has three sons Ashley, 22, Luke, 14, and Ben, nine, said today: "We were elated that we actually located an insurer.

"After seven years, we had given up hope of taking the case any further.

"Our aim was to secure a future for mum, and that is what dad would have wanted.

"He initiated the claim before he died, and we carried on, on his behalf."