Payout for young mum with deadly asbestos disease

A young mum whose life will be cut short after she was exposed to asbestos as a child at Footscray North Primary School will get a payout from the State of Victoria.

Jasmine Thomas got asbestos disease following exposure as a student at Footscray North Primary School in the early 2000s.

A young mum-to-be undergoing her first ultrasound was told that doctors found multiple tumours, caused by inhaling deadly asbestos dust as a primary school pupil.

Jasmine Thomas, just 27, will have her life cut short after she was exposed to ­asbestos dust and particles at Footscray North Primary School in the early 2000s.

Ms Thomas sued the State of Victoria, arguing it was ­liable for the negligence of staff at the public school for allowing her to be exposed to ­asbestos released during renovations and extensions.

Supreme Court documents reveal that doctors discovered a “mobile solid lesion” during a routine ultrasound soon after Ms Thomas became pregnant, in July 2016.

The first-time mother was then subjected to repeated ­biopsies, with doctors forced to leave a 2cm tumour ­because it was inaccessible due to her pregnancy.

Three months later, the then-21-year-old was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma, a terminal cancer surrounding the abdomen caused by asbestos fibres.

Ms Thomas’s pregnancy was marred by many trips to the emergency department for pelvic and abdominal pain. She was prescribed methadone, before she gave birth to a son in April 2017.

She was unable to pick up her baby boy for the first six weeks of his life because of the pain.

Ms Thomas was due to fight a week-long trial against the State of Victoria over claims that demolitions and renovations at Footscray North Primary exposed her to asbestos dust and fibres.

Two classrooms and two toilet blocks were renovated and the breezeway demolished at the Rosamond Rd school, from November 2002 to May 2003, releasing asbestos from walls and ceilings.

Supreme Court documents say Ms Thomas was “exposed to and inhaled asbestos dust fibres” when she attended the school from 2000 to 2006.

She claimed the public school failed to take adequate steps to prevent and contain the dust and keep students away during works.

In her civil claim, lawyers for the former film and television wardrobe department staffer estimated she suffered $2.1m in lost earnings and medical and care expenses.

She has recently moved back in with her parents to help with her mental health after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress.

Her trial – expected in March – was dismissed before it began after the State of Victoria agreed to settle the case for an undisclosed sum.

Maurice Blackburn senior associate Leah O’Keefe said the law firm, which acted for Ms Thomas, was “concerned about how much asbestos remains in our community, including in school buildings”.

The Herald Sun asked the Education Department whether the school was now deemed safe, whether other former students or staff had been diagnosed with asbestos illnesses and what the settlement was with Ms Thomas.

“As this matter is before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment,” a spokeswoman said. The case was no longer before the courts.