Exposed as a child.
Anna Rooney’s only exposure to asbestos was from her late father’s work clothes. From the time of her birth until Anna was six years of age, she lived at her family home, adjacent to the Wangi Wangi Power Station, in NSW.
Power station construction
Anna’s father was employed as a boilermaker on the construction of the Wangi Wangi Power Station. As he lived next door to work, he came home for lunch each day, picking up and playing with his baby daughter Anna while in work clothes covered with asbestos dust. Nearly 50 years later Anna was diagnosed with the asbestos cancer, mesothelioma. Anna sued her father’s former employer, Babcock & Wilcox (now Babcock Australia Pty Limited) and the Electricity Commission of New South Wales (now Eraring Energy).
Investigating back 50 years
As Anna was a child when she was exposed to asbestos, she could not provide any details of her exposure. A large amount of investigation work was carried out by Turner Freeman who located a number of former workmates of Anna’s father (now deceased) who provided evidence as to his work and exposure to asbestos.
Despite initial indications from the Defendants that the matter would be fully contested, the matter settled prior to trial.
Childhood exposure no barrier
Turner Freeman has acted for a number of people who have contracted mesothelioma in their 30s and 40s as a result of childhood exposure to asbestos. Claims can be run even where the client is too young to remember the exposure to asbestos, if family members or other witnesses can provide evidence of the exposure. Turner Freeman’s long history in asbestos litigation means that it has substantial knowledge of exposures to asbestos in Australia that can be used to assist in such cases.
