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| Obituary | Posted by - cag - 2010-02-16 12:19:12 |
It is with regret that the Group has heard of the death of Charlie Marshall.
Charlie was involved in the group almost since it's inception, and was a member of the Management Committee for many years until his health problems took their toll.
He will be missed by all who knew him, and we offer our sincere condolences to his family.
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On behalf of the Clydebank Asbestos Group, I wish to thank the Scottish Convenor of Unison, Mike Kirby for his great effort in publicsing our appeal for funding towards our project in the building of the International Worker's Memorial Monument.
Mike took the time to inform all Unison branches within his remit, to let them know of the project. The response in respect of donations from Unison Branches throughout Scotland has been overwhelming.
Once again, thank you Mike, and thank all Unison branches who have given us great faith in our fight to attain justice for those who have gone and those who are still pursuing their right to compensation
Joe O'Neil
on behalf of Clydebank Asbestos Group |
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On 2 december 2009, I stood with others in Trafalgar Square, London.
As we stood there, the noise of the traffic seemed to disappear and my thoughts had transferred to that dreadful disaster in Bhopal, the thousands who died, those left severely injured in body and limb.
We sang " Abide with Me "and the clergy gave comforting prayers.
Peter who manages the Bhopal Appeal Fund, spoke as did one or two others, updated that the bus was now in Paris, heading back to Brighton at the beginning of the following week.
The Appeal bus had been on the go for a number of weeks,visiting various countries,Sweden,Germany, Holland, Italy to name just a few, raising funds for the maintainence of the hospital which had been set up in Bhopal.
I was priveleged to be asked to read out the letter of solidarity from the Clydebank Asbestos Group.
The letter was as follows:
Dear Staff and Trustees of the Bhopal Medical Appeal
We at Clydebank Asbestos Group would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations on your 25 years of your humanitarian service given to those who suffered great loss, the injured of body and mind. The scale of this tragedy was overwhelming unthinkable, difficult to envisage the devastation to the population of Bhopal and beyond.
Certainly, we can equate with you you in the asbestos world, the constant loss of lives to a deadly silent dust.
All of us live in fear of the deadly toxins that are destroying our beautiful world and its peoples. Those of us who care for our future generations can only strive to hopefully make a turn around for a cleaner environment.
May we offer you our undertanding and solidarity on 2nd/3rd of December on a night and day that will evoke deep wounds of sadness that will never be forgotten.
Yours sincerely
Robert Dickie
Chairman, Clydebank Asbestos Group
Submittede by Joan Baird, CAG Management Committee |
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Thompsons Solicitors who represent Clydebank Asbestos Group clients has chalked up its third major success in a row.
Chambers the legal directory rates Thompsons, who win over Ł50m in compensation for clients every year, in their highest category, Band 1.
The firm has a similar Band 1 rating from the Legal 500 law profession guide and was voted the Law firm of the Year in the Firm Magazine's prestigious Law Awards of 2009.
In this years guide Chambers commends Frank Maguire, Thompsons' senior partner fo his "advocacy, client handling and management of catastrophic claims".
Chambers also describes Thompsons as a "highly acclaimed practice", and adds "Now firmly entrenched in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, is lauded for being outstanding, tenacious and value for money".
Mr Maguire said: "It is always good to know that our work is recognised in the profession but the views we value most are those of the clients we represent.
"The fact that we recover over Ł50m a year in compensation for our clients speaks volumes about our dedication and commitment to winning the best possible settlement in every case we accept". |
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Clydebank Asbestos Group's lawyers' Thompson Solicitors won recognition as Scotland's top legal firm in the prestigious Law Awards of Scotland 2009, organised by The Firm legal magazine.
Thompson's won the Law Firm of the Year title, the top award in the profession's "Oscars", in the face of intense competition from other practices across Scotland.
The Law Firm of the Year Award title recognises the wide scope and range of Thompson's services including the firm's distinguished record of representing clients, fighting for their rights, campaigning on health and safety issues and tackling the legacy of industrial diseases like asbestos related cancers.
Frank Maguire, Thompson's senior partner sais: "We are delghted to have won this award, particularly since our role as Scotland's leading lawyers was one of the reasons we were honoured.
"We are proud of our long and distiguished tradition of fighting alongside Clydebank Asbestos Group".
But Mr Maguire warned that there are a number of reforms of the legal system including the recently published Gill Review which threaten ordinary clients access to justice.
mr Maguire said: "There are various Reviews of the Scottish legal system underway, some of which we believe threaten to undermine the principle that access to the law and the courts is a basic human right, and should not be dependent on the ability to pay.
"The threats include proposals to turn the Scottish Court of Session into an international centre for commercial dispute resolution, and/or allocating resources to a case in accordance with its value, importance and complexity as against cost.
"At the moment ordinary people who suffer injustice can reasonably expect to have their case heard in the Court of Session regardless of the monetry value involved.
"But some of these moves would effectively deny ordinary people the access to justice which is their right."
Turning to the Law Firm of the Year award, Mr Maguire said that over the last few years the changing industrial landscape gad forced Thompsons to develop their expertise in Personal Injury cases where they now more than nine out of ten personal injury court cases, obtaining the maximum compensation in the shortest possible time.
Last year Thompsons recovered over Ł1m a week in compesation for its clients. But Mr Maguire added: "I am particularly pleased that we have been able to continue to represent clients of Clydebank Asbestos Group.
"This award recognises the fact that we continue to offer our clients new and enhanced services."
Find out more about Thompsons' services at www.thompsons-scotland.co.uk |
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The Executive of the Scottish Parliament posted a Bill (Damages (Asbestos - related Conditions) (Scotland) Bill on the 28th June 2008.
This Bill will consolidate the position in Scotland of the right to compensation for Pleural Plaques sufferers, people who suffer from what the insurance industry calls "asymptomatic pleural thickening" and "asymptomatic asbestosis" they will continue to have the right to claim compensation. |
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After two years of waiting, cases being cisted and victims being accused of mischievousness. After an initial Court Case that was won by the victims and after constant pursuance by the very people responsible for polluting these individuals. The House of Lords came to the conclusion that asbestos related Pleural Plaques does not have an effect on the victims.
As a result the Clydebank Asbestos Group was once more on the campaign trail in support of the victims.
The Clydebank Asbestos Group was delighted to attend a meeting called by Scottish Minister Kenny MacAskill on the 29th of November 2007. The minister told us he had good news for us with regards to our concerns about the disgraceful House of Lords decision on Pleural Plaques “that after more than twenty years of paying out compensation, suddenly it does not have a physical effect on you”? The decision was shambolic and this initiative reflects the total disgrace of the Lords judgement.
Kenny told us that the Scottish Parliament would be legislating in the spring to negate the effects of the House of Lords decision in 2008.
We told the minister that we were delighted with the decision and congratulated the M.S.P’s in coming up with a decision that was in touch with the aspirations of the Scottish people.
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This decision by the House of Lords is appalling and flies totally against all moral and legal judgements.
Pleural plaques is poisoning of the lungs by asbestos, one of the deadliest materials that working men and women can come into contact with.
Those of us who worked in the shipbuilding construction and other industries that used or manufactured asbestos know only too well the disastrous consequences of inhaling these deadly fibres.
All of us who worked in these industries have a great fear that asbestos poisoning and its consequences will perhaps visit us.
Those victims of pleural plaques, which is considered the least damaging of the four conditions, know the fear, foreboding and mental anxiety when told they have an asbestos related condition.
We, in the Asbestos Support Groups know that victims of pleural plaques are more liable go on to suffer from the other debilitating asbestos conditions, including mesothelioma.
No amount of compensation can overcome the panic and fear that this news brings, not only to the victim but to the rest of the family.
Compensation for pleural plaques has been recognised for twenty years or more and is well established within the legal system.
Here we see the Insurance Companies and employers successfully challenging compensation provision that has been in place for many years.
It is another example of them avoiding their responsibilities to these victims.
This means increased profits for them and the denial of justice and compensation to pleural plaque victims.
We fully support the requirement of a Bill within the Scottish Parliament to legislate in favour of the victims of Pleural Plaques, to ensure that these victim’s rights to claim compensation will remain, and exist, within the Scottish Justice System.
We can assure you that here in Scotland we will be opposing this legal ruling and will be calling on our supporters within the political, trade union, legal and other support groups for their help to ensure that if this is applied in Scotland it is overturned by new legislation.
As a first step we will be calling on the West Dunbartonshire Council with a resolution condemning this ruling and calling for their support.
Bob Dickie
Chairperson
Clydebank Asbestos Group
18th October 2007
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Clydebank Asbestos Group are currently involved in placing before the Scottish Parliament a petition to ensure that Alimta (the only drug available to mesothelioma victims) is not withdrawn from victims in Scotland (Petition PE1006).
Representatives of the Scottish Asbestos groups are meeting the Deputy Health Minister on the 21st March 2007.
In England the National Instition of Clinical Excellence (NICE)decided to remove ALIMTA for free use in the NHS. This decision is currently being appealed. |
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