Redcar Man Joins With Experts To Call For Help In Legal Battle

A former gas fitter and labourer from Redcar suffering from asbestos-related diseases has joined with specialist lawyers to urge his former colleagues to come forward with vital information regarding how he was exposed to the deadly material.

Allen Phoenix, 63, was diagnosed with fibrosis and pleural thickening linked to asbestos exposure in January this year, with the problems leaving him reliant on oxygen and unable to walk more than a few yards at a time.

Following the diagnosis, the father-of-two and grandfather-of-one called on specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to launch a legal battle for answers regarding his condition.

As part of his case, they’re now calling for anyone who worked with Allen at three of his former employers to come forward with information regarding the working conditions they faced.

They are specifically keen to hear from anyone who worked with him at the Northern Gas Board across Middlesbrough between 1967 and 1973, as well as at William Press & Son Ltd in Darlington between 1973 and 1974 and at British Steel’s Lackenby Steelworks from 1974 up until his retirement in 2006.

Emma Tordoff, a Solicitor and specialist asbestos lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Newcastle office who is representing Allen, said:

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“While I was only diagnosed this year, I have had severe breathing difficulties for many years and am reliant on oxygen installed in a number of the rooms in my house. The problems are so severe I struggle to walk more than a few yards and am often unable to get upstairs.

“These conditions have had a massive impact on my life and I am desperate for answers as to how these problems came to emerge. Any information that former colleagues may be able to provide could be a massive help.” Emma Bell - Senior Associate Solicitor

Discussing his illness, Allen said: “While I was only diagnosed this year, I have had severe breathing difficulties for many years and am reliant on oxygen installed in a number of the rooms in my house. The problems are so severe I struggle to walk more than a few yards and am often unable to get upstairs.

“These conditions have had a massive impact on my life and I am desperate for answers as to how these problems came to emerge. Any information that former colleagues may be able to provide could be a massive help.”

Allen Phoenix started work at Northern Gas Board in 1967 as an apprentice gas fitter, with the role taking him to sites across the Middlesbrough area. He recalls many jobs at public houses and in industrial settings which saw him come into contact with asbestos.

Mr Phoenix has similar memories of his time at William Press & Son and remembers his job as a gas service engineer working on central heating systems regularly brought him into contact with asbestos materials.

He worked in several roles during his time at British Steel, from a general labourer and stock taker up to a deputy team leader and believes that asbestos was present across the Lackenby Steelworks where he was based.

Anyone with information about working conditions at these three firms should contact Emma Tordoff on 0191 279 0104 or email emma.tordoff@irwinmitchell.com.

For more information on claiming please visit our pleural thickening compensation page.