An almost decade-long battle, full of pain and injustice, ended with a historic victory. In Rome, the Court of Appeal has written a new chapter in the fight for the rights of asbestos victims, finally recognizing the professional origin of the disease that ended the life of a former Cotral mechanic. A sentence destined to become jurisprudence, which puts the spotlight back on the risks still too often underestimated linked to exposure to killer fiber in the workplace.
The story of a former Cotral mechanic
The epilogue of this story begins in 2016, when a 71-year-old man, resident in Soriano nel Cimino (Viterbo), passed away due to a neuroendocrine lung carcinoma. For his eighty-year-old wife, it was the beginning of a new, painful battle. The husband had dedicated 24 years of his life, from 1976 to 2000, to the maintenance of Cotral vehicles, in particular on the Rome-Viterbo line. A job that, at the time, exposed him daily to an invisible enemy: asbestos.
Brakes, seals, mechanical components: in all these parts, asbestos was a common component. Every day, in the workshops, its fibers were released into the air, breathed, accumulated in the body, without the workers being aware or adequately protected. A prolonged and silent exposure which, years later, presented its tragic toll.
Between obstacles and perseverance: the legal battle
Convinced that her husband’s death was intrinsically linked to his work, the widow had requested INAIL for recognition of the occupational disease. A request initially rejected, and unfortunately also confirmed by an unfavorable ruling from the Court of Viterbo. It seemed like the end, but the woman’s determination did not waver.
This is where the National Asbestos Observatory (ONA) comes into play, with its president and lawyer Ezio Bonanni, who has decided to support the widow in this long and difficult journey. The case was appealed to the Court of Appeal of Rome, in a last-ditch attempt to obtain justice.
The decisive turning point: the ruling of the Court of Appeal
And justice has arrived. On 22 October 2026, the Court of Appeal of Rome, with a now definitive ruling, completely overturned the previous decisions. The judging panel recognized the causal link between the exposure to asbestos in the Cotral workshops and the illness that caused the worker’s death. Crucial was a technical consultancy that identified the exposure responsible for the pathology during the period of service at Cotral.
A fundamental principle, reiterated by the Court, strengthens the position of all asbestos victims and their family members: once the professional exposure and the traceability of the disease to this exposure have been ascertained according to current legislation, it is not up to the family members to demonstrate that the tumor had other causes. In these cases, INAIL is responsible for providing any evidence to the contrary. An inverted burden of proof that lightens the burden on the shoulders of those who have already suffered immeasurably.
Recognition and compensation: a signal for safety
For the widow, this sentence means not only moral justice, but also concrete economic recognition. She was granted the right to a survivors’ pension and other benefits provided by law, for a total value estimated by the ONA of approximately 200 thousand euros.
The lawyer Ezio Bonanni underlined the importance of this victory: «This story tells of the determination of a woman who did not accept that her husband’s death would remain without recognition. A woman who, after sharing a life with her partner, chose to defend his memory and rights, facing a long and complex legal process.” A message that goes beyond the single case, drawing attention to the risks that still threaten workers today, in particular those in automotive and railway maintenance, often exposed to materials containing asbestos.
ONA’s commitment is the path to an asbestos-free future
The National Asbestos Observatory (ONA) continues its tireless activity of assistance and protection for asbestos victims and their families. The goal is clear: to ensure justice, prevention and a future free from this killer fiber. Stories like that of this widow remind us how crucial it is not to lower our guard and continue to fight for workplace safety and the abatement of the asbestos still present in our country.
This ruling is not only the victory of a courageous woman, but a beacon of hope for all families who have lost loved ones to asbestos. It is a strong warning that prevention becomes an absolute priority and that those who have been exposed to this dangerous material can always find the right compensation and recognition. Justice, albeit often taking a long time, can still triumph.
For anyone needing information or support, the ONA provides the toll-free number 800 034 294 and the website www.associazioneamianto.it.
