Expert Industrial Disease Lawyers Investigating Asbestos Exposure At Norwich Hospitals

A former nurse is appealing to her work colleagues to help with an investigation into her exposure to asbestos decades ago after being diagnosed with mesothelioma – an incurable cancer related to the deadly dust.

Georgina Smith, known to her friends and colleagues as Gina, 60, from Roughton near Norwich, was diagnosed with the disease in November 2014 after suffering with shortness of breath.

Gina has now instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate how she was exposed to the hazardous dust and fibres as it takes decades from exposure before the symptoms develop.

She believes she was exposed to the material during her time training as a nurse at the old Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and West Norwich Hospital, when she was known by her maiden name Georgina Turner, where she lived and trained for six months in 1975.

Gina told her legal team at Irwin Mitchell that she believes she was exposed to asbestos particularly at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital where she would regularly access areas of the hospital via a basement corridor where lagged pipework present was in a poor state of repair.

She also believes she was exposed to asbestos dust and fibres when cleaning sluice rooms, which contained asbestos-lagged pipework and when maintenance work was carried out on the hospitals she worked at during her career, as she would often sweep up the dust and fibres left behind by workmen.

Her expert legal team at Irwin Mitchell would like to hear from any of Gina’s former nursing colleagues from hospitals in the Norwich area, as well as other hospital workers or anyone who carried out maintenance work at the facilities.

Those who worked alongside Gina may have information on the presence of asbestos at the hospitals and well details of any measures, if any, taken to reduce the potential for staff to be exposed to the deadly material.

Rosemary Giles, a Partner and expert asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Cambridge office, representing Gina, said: 

Expert Opinion

“Mesothelioma is a very aggressive and sadly incurable cancer caused by exposure to asbestos and it causes a great deal of pain and suffering for victims like Gina.

“The disease is most commonly linked to heavy industries, but we are seeing more and more cases like Gina’s, where exposure may have taken place in public buildings, such as schools and hospitals where asbestos was often used in the construction, but became harmful as its condition deteriorated.

“It is vital more is done to protect people like Gina who have every right to be able to go to work and not suffer these terrible diseases decades down the line. Our main priority now is to help Gina get the answers she deserves about how and why she was exposed to asbestos in the course of her employment.

“We hope her former colleagues will come forward with the crucial information we need to get these answers for Gina.” Rosemary Giles - Partner

Gina said: “My diagnosis was a complete shock to me and to find out that the mesothelioma may be a result of exposure to asbestos at work just added insult to injury. The disease is already having a huge impact on my daily life and I now rely on friends and family more than ever.

“I’m very worried about what the future holds for me, but I’m focused on getting the answers I need about my exposure to asbestos and why more wasn’t done to protect us. Hopefully, my former colleagues will come forward with the information my legal team needs and I will be able to get to the bottom of what caused my disease.”

Anyone who recalls training with Gina or trained at the same times as Gina and has information on the presence of asbestos at the hospitals should contact Rosemary Giles at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors on 01223 791 815 or email Rosemary.Giles@IrwinMitchell.com.