Hospices which are caring for people with asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, could now get help with treatment costs after a landmark court ruling.
It came after a three-year legal battle, with the high court stating that a firm which exposed a former worker to asbestos should have to pay for his care.
The Guardian reported that engineering firm Foster Wheeler must now pay £10,000 to St Joseph's Hospice in east London for the care of James Wilson, who died in 2007.
It could now lead to claims from a number of hospices who are looking for help when caring for patients suffering from asbestos-related diseases.
Roy Nightingale, a social worker at St Joseph's, began working with mesothelioma victims ten years ago, as he saw it as a disease which was often caused by employer negligence.
Recently, the dangers of asbestos were highlighted when a Grade II listed building in Swindon was found to have high levels of the material.