QUEEN'S BENCH DIVISION
COMMERCIAL COURT
The Strand London WC2 A2U |
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B e f o r e :
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AB & ORS | Claimant | |
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BRITISH COAL CORPORATION & ANR | Defendant |
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MISS KELLY (instructed by Graysons) appeared on behalf of the four claimants
MR J COOPER and MR S ANTROBUS (instructed by Nabarro) appeared on behalf of the DTI.
MR B GRIFFITHS (instructed by BRM) appeared on behalf of the UDM.
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Crown Copyright ©
Edward Gordon Walker (deceased)
"Smoked for approximately five years in late '40s, ten per day."
"Lives with wife in house. Normally fit and well. Mechanic, mends cars, looks after great grandchildren regularly, non-smoker, stopped aged 22 years. Alcohol, less than ten units a week."
"Stopped 45 years ago!"
Reginald Arthur Williamson (deceased)
Edward Arthur Anthony (deceased)
"While I cannot categorically state that this entry regarding your father being a smoker is a mistake, I do personally find it surprising that throughout all the other records of a man with considerable respiratory problems there is no other mention at all that he was an ex-smoker. This fact would have been extremely significant with regard to the causation and diagnosis of his respiratory problems and I would have expected it to have been remarked upon further. Obviously, the nurse would have been given the information from somewhere, but I can easily see a situation where your father may have misinterpreted the question and given an incorrect answer."
"Smoking; stopped 1950. Alcohol; drop of brandy now and then. Diet; none, poor appetite, daughter cooks, one meal."
"Lives alone in two floor house. Mobile with two sticks. Daughter prepares breakfast and dinner every day. MOW (meals on wheels) Wednesday and Monday. Ex-smoker. No alcohol."
"Lives alone in house. Mobile with two sticks. MOW2/week. Ex-smoker. Daughter helps with meals; breakfast and dinner daily."
"92 years old, ex-miner, blind and deaf, chest and abdominal pain."
Charles William Dickens
"He would also be well advised to give up smoking."
"Complaining of catching breath. Lump inside of chest ? Lipoma ? Neurofibroma. For CXR [chest x-ray]."
"0 smoke (i.e. does not smoke) - 14/15 yo."
"Never smoked tobacco."
"I have only ever attended the Walton Hospital once in my life."
General Comments