MP Bob Russell backs work victim David’s BAI claims insurance case (From Gazette)
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MP Bob Russell backs work victim David’s BAI claims insurance case
9:40am Wednesday 20th October 2010 in News By James Calnan
A FORMER roofer fighting for cash to pay for treatment for cancer he contracted at work has won the support of Colchester MP Bob Russell.
A judge has ordered insurers to make a £50,000 interim payment to David Mahoney, 50, to fund life-prolonging treatment because he fears he has only months to live.
BAI Claims, the company handling his claim, refused and is unlikely to pay up until the Supreme Court has ruled, possibly 18 months from now.
Mr Russell is pushing for a special hearing to rule urgently on the case. He said: “I’m hopeful it will help the case be resolved quickly.”
Mr Mahoney, a father-of-five of Scarfe Way, Greenstead, was exposed to asbestos in 1976, while in his first job after leaving school.
He was later diagnosed with the lung condition, mesothelioma.
His employer, builder Myton, has since folded and so has its insurer, leaving claims to be dealt with by BAI Claims.
Since 2008, the firm has refused to handle claims such as Mr Mahoney’s, arguing the policies had expired by the time the mesothelioma manifested itself.
Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal found in favour of Mr Mahoney, but gave BAI leave to appeal.
Mr Mahoney’s lawyer, John Green, said an appeal was almost certain.
He added: “I have no news on whether they have actually submitted that appeal yet, but it’s highly likely they’re going to appeal against this.
“The reality is they don’t have to do anything and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Mr Mahoney told the Gazette earlier this month he had been “destroyed” by the cancer took hold four years ago.
No one from BAI Claims responded to our requests for a comment.
Comments(16)
MRose
says...
10:27am Wed 20 Oct 10
Checkout
says...
3:35pm Wed 20 Oct 10
I cannot think of anyone who tried harder to have the whole thing scrapped at every opportunity.
Blame the Tory politicians who were in power at the time and those who supported them for the monstrous carbuncle.
MRose
says...
3:54pm Wed 20 Oct 10
Checkout wrote:Hemay well have opposed it but we didn't see him splashed all over the paper with his complaints did we. He only gets involved when it suits him and there is a photo opportunity.
If you think that Bob Russell supported the VAF in any way then you must be completely deluded MRose.
I cannot think of anyone who tried harder to have the whole thing scrapped at every opportunity.
Blame the Tory politicians who were in power at the time and those who supported them for the monstrous carbuncle.
Checkout
says...
4:03pm Wed 20 Oct 10
MRose
says...
4:29pm Wed 20 Oct 10
Checkout wrote:You're not Mrs Russell are you?
MRose- Rubbish! You must have been busy elsewhere in your mind whilst the VAF row was going on.
Anna Key
says...
9:11pm Wed 20 Oct 10
Boris
says...
9:18pm Wed 20 Oct 10
Knowing Bob, I would expect he only took up this case after speaking to Mr Mahoney, and getting his permission.
Let's hope the MP's involvement will get this thing moving.
Boris
says...
9:19pm Wed 20 Oct 10
Checkout
says...
10:34am Thu 21 Oct 10
Juno
says...
1:14pm Thu 21 Oct 10
Still, he seems to be adored by many in his constituency, in which I no longer reside. Local boy made good, an unusual route for an MP.
I'm not one for a great load of politics myself, just remember the good done by such honourable men as Lord Alport and Charles Smith; two from opposing parties but both hard workers who saw things through and paid for it in different ways. It takes something very special to stand up for beliefs against a tide of people even in your own party, and doesn't conclude in a long and serene retirement in most cases. In addition, both the above MPs had the "common touch" in that they had the ability and the humanity to remember all those with whom they had contact, and to recall and enquire after their ongoing problems and continue their assistance.
Oh well, we live in a different world now, lots of upside and also a lot of downside.
MRose
says...
3:53pm Thu 21 Oct 10
Checkout wrote:Oh Checkout you really are a genius aren't you?
MRose - I'm happy to say that I'm not Mrs. Russell but I'm even happier to say that I cannot possibly be related to you.
.
Thanks for your comment Juno i think half the problem is the fact that BR is local means that some of our fellow residents feel they owe him a living.
Anna Key
says...
9:18pm Thu 21 Oct 10
I share much of your disdain for BR, as you say he does jump from bandwagon to bandwagon. But from whatever perspective we criticise him, we must get our facts straight.
Right now, the very latest story has BR once again utterly ignoring the VAF.
Juno
says...
10:02pm Thu 21 Oct 10
I was merely commenting on my own perception of the general hopping from one good cause to another as reported in the local journals. I am waiting to hear that I am wrong, and that BR has in fact successfully backed to the final full stop many of his declared interests and causes. You can't win 'em all, but it would be reassuring to know that BR's support has continued to success and that he is, in fact, Colchester Superman.
Going back to the source, this story was about a man suffering the cruel affliction of cancer, and I am sure that we can pause in our various pursuits to wish him and his family well, and to say that we continue to hope for both his financial and physical well-being so far as is possible. He surely needs our goodwill and support at this time.
Anna Key
says...
6:04pm Fri 22 Oct 10
Juno wrote:Good comment Juno, well said.
Anna, sorry I don't feel qualified to comment on the VAF as I know nothing about it and the related politics, so no, I am not saying anything about Bob Russell and his feelings/actions on the VAF.
I was merely commenting on my own perception of the general hopping from one good cause to another as reported in the local journals. I am waiting to hear that I am wrong, and that BR has in fact successfully backed to the final full stop many of his declared interests and causes. You can't win 'em all, but it would be reassuring to know that BR's support has continued to success and that he is, in fact, Colchester Superman.
Going back to the source, this story was about a man suffering the cruel affliction of cancer, and I am sure that we can pause in our various pursuits to wish him and his family well, and to say that we continue to hope for both his financial and physical well-being so far as is possible. He surely needs our goodwill and support at this time.
Shadow Demon
says...
11:14pm Fri 22 Oct 10
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TheTruthMan says...
10:12am Wed 20 Oct 10