Il Tar of Lazio has accepted the appeal for compensation for moral, existential, biological and patrimonial damages presented against the Ministry of Defence by the relatives of the non-commissioned officer Ciro Centofanti, originally from Napoli, recognized as a victim of duty and died in 2020 at the age of 78, after several years of illness.
To the family, assisted by the lawyer Ezio Bonanni, president of the National Observatory Asbestos, compensation of 308 thousand euros will be paid.
The soldier served in the Italian Navy from 1960 to 1979, approximately 20 years, as an “on-board electrician on Navy ships including Alcione, Pioppo, Trifoglio, Olmo, Doria, Ontano, Tenace, Visintin and others, in a period in which asbestos was used without any restrictions as stated in the decree recognizing the status of victim of duty.
Ciro Centofanti breathed asbestos fibers 24 hours a day because the killer fiber was in all the insulation, even in the quarters, in the corridors and even in the toilets. They were also present in the engine rooms and in the coverings of the exhaust pipes and, despite its danger having been well known for some time, the soldier did not have personal protective equipment.
“This ruling is very important – states Bonanni – because it recognizes the right of the soldier to compensation for damages which is added to the recognition of the status of victim of duty and to the social security benefits, already paid to the soldier during his lifetime and now enjoyed by his surviving family members.
We hope to also obtain a conviction for damages for bereavement and loss of parental relationship in the case already filed before the Civil Court of Rome. We will continue to fight for justice and the protection of the rights of all those affected by this devastating disease".
Article published on 25 July 2024 - 15:15
