A 59-year-old British shipyard electrician, who is currently battling asbestos-caused mesothelioma, has received one of the largest compensation awards in an asbestos suit in British history. According to an article in The Northern Echo, Raymond Shanks was recently awarded £948,565 by a High Court.

Shanks worked for the Swan Hunter Group, a company which has operated a shipyard in the town of Wallsend for several decades. The grandfather of two was employed there as an electrician for about four years – from 1965-1969 – performing tasks in various locations throughout the shipyard and coming into contact with dangerous asbestos nearly every day.

According to Shank’s attorneys, after an operation and chemotherapy, “he has enjoyed a stable and good quality of life since last year,” although he has constant pain in his chest and can only walk at a “snail’s pace”. The former Australia resident, who returned to the UK after his diagnosis, isn’t expected to last more than another year of so.

The judge in the case, noting that Shanks had previously been “very fit and active”, awarded him £70,000 for pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. The balance was to cover loss of earning, relocation costs, medical care, and other miscellaneous expenses.

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