Australian Men Receive Compensation for At-Home Exposure

January 3, 2007 - Two British migrant workers from Perth, Australia have been awarded large sums by an Australian court in compensation for asbestos diseases they contracted while working with asbestos products in their own backyards.

ABC News Online Australia reports that the Supreme Court in Perth has ordered building products company James Hardie to pay more than $500,000 compensation to 64-year-old David Hannell and $225,000 to Dennis Moss, age 79. 

Both men claim that they cut up asbestos on their properties in the 1980s and '90s.  They now suffer from mesothelioma and have been undergoing radiation, chemotherapy, and other treatments in an effort to slow the disease’s progress.

Hannell says the payout is quite welcoming in helping him and his family to meet medical bills and other compounding expenses.  "There's been quite a lot of bills - medical things and all that sort of thing I've had to pay out, so there's obviously going to be help that way and day-to-day living," he said.  "Not being able to work - it's certainly going to be a great help there."

Moss and Hannell’s attorney thinks this will be the first of many similar claims in Australia.  "A whole class of people have been and will be exposed to this product that never should have been exposed if the adequate warnings had of been in place," said Tim Hammond.  He believes the latest ruling will assist those victims with their claims.

"The courageous stance that these brave men took is going to help many, many others in the same unfortunate position obtain compensation more quickly and a more satisfactory amount of compensation," he said.