EXPOSURE to asbestos contributed to the death of a retired installation engineer, an inquest heard.
Eric Woodford was found dead in the back garden of his Lymington home by his daughter in April 2012. Southampton Coroners’ Court heard that it appeared the 85-year-old, of Southbourne Road, had been trying to get off his scooter when his heart failed.
The pensioner, who had a history of heart problems and strokes, had worked for many years as an installation engineer where he was exposed to “significant quantities” of asbestos dust.
The post-mortem examination revealed that, while heart disease was the immediate cause of death, asbestosis was a contributing factor due to the damage of the lungs.
Coroner Keith Wiseman recorded a verdict of death from natural causes, contributed by asbestos exposure.
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