Port Pirie Man Received Compensation For Asbestos Cancer -- MesoLink.org -- 06-16-05

Zinefex has recently made an out of court settlement offer to a Port Pirie man with only months to live. The man worked at Port Pirie Smelter, which was known as the BHAS Smelter, and contracted asbestos related lung cancer. It was likely that going through the courts would have caused considerable stress to the man and would have cost money and valuable time, and the man’s attorney said that the out of court settlement was the best solution.

His lawyer stated, "I'm pleased to say the case resolved at a pre-trial conference, which is a great thing for our client... We were able to demonstrate that there was a lot of asbestos throughout the BHAS Smelter."

With regards to the stress and inconvenience that the out of court settlement has saved her client, the lawyer added, "He is suffering from an asbestos related condition called Mesothelioma with a general life expectancy of nine months and he has had the disease since November, so he's breathless and uncomfortable."

The attorney also stated, "There are avenues open for victims of asbestos diseases related to their exposure at Zinifex, so that's a really good thing." In the meantime, the patient is planning to spend his last months with his family and friends, and get as much quality time in as possible given the circumstances.