John Nutt, 87, of Edward Road in Chadwell Heath, died on November 12 with asbestosis, East London Coroner’s Court heard on Tuesday, May 6.
“Because asbestosis is part of the direct cause of death, that renders the death unnatural because it was exposure to a substance during the course of his work,” said coroner Nadia Persaud.
She therefore opened an inquest.
Coroner’s officer Ian Beresford told the hearing: “He had worked by the docks bagging asbestos from the ships, which is where it is likely he was exposed.”
Mr Nutt’s uncle had previously died from asbestosis, his daughter Elizabeth told the hearing in Walthamstow.
“It was like it was all around him at that time, unfortunately,” she said of her father.
But, she told Mrs Persaud, the family was confused by the ruling he had died from asbestos-related illness, as he had been told by a doctor at King George Hospital, Goodmayes, that he did not have it.
“It was a question mark,” she said. “Their specialist, just looking from an X-ray, concluded no.”
The coroner expressed surprise, saying it was not possible to tell from an X-ray whether somebody had asbestos-related illness.
She told Mr Nutt’s daughter it was “not in doubt” that his death had been asbestos-related.
“The pathologist has given a clear cause of death that includes asbestos,” she said.
“Looking at the tissue and analysing it underneath a microscope is going to be more accurate than radiology.”
She declared Mr Nutt’s family interested persons – a legal status entitling them to review all relevant evidence gathered by the coroner before the final inquest takes place.
“I just need closure for Dad,” Mr Nutt’s daughter said.
The final inquest was provisionally listed for June 30.
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs King George, was approached for comment but did not respond.
