Expert Asbestos Lawyers Investigating Working Conditions At Local Ferrybridge Bearings Factory And Local Schools

A devastated widow is appealing for her late husband’s former colleagues to provide information about how he may have been exposed to asbestos during his working life after he died from mesothelioma, a terminal cancer caused by exposure to the harmful substance.

David Clegg, from the Knottingley area was diagnosed with mesothelioma, just one week before he passed away at his home, aged 58, in February 2016.

Now his wife Susan, 59, has instructed expert asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate how and where he came into contact with the substance and if more should have been done to protect him and others.

Prior to his death, David explained to his wife that he considered that he would have been exposed to asbestos whilst working for Pollard Bearings at Ferrybridge. David worked for the firm for just eight weeks during his summer break from Warwick University in the 1970s where he was studying to become a science teacher.

However, his family also have concerns that his exposure could have occurred in his classrooms at either Goole Grammar School where he worked between 1979 and 1980 or at Featherstone High School where he worked from 1980 to 2000.

Susan, with the support of her family and legal team at Irwin Mitchell, is now appealing to any of David’s former colleagues to come forward with any information to help secure justice for the family.

Ian Toft, head of the industrial disease team at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office, representing Susan, said:

Expert Opinion

“Mesothelioma is an aggressive and incurable cancer which causes so much distress for people like Susan and her family. On this occasion, the disease took David’s life within only one week of his diagnosis. Sadly, many employers did not do enough to manage the risks of asbestos exposure, despite knowing how dangerous it is.

“We hope that former colleagues of David’s during his short time at Pollard Bearings, at Goole Grammar School and at Featherstone High School will come forward to help us with our investigations. David was an integral member of the teaching staff at Featherstone High School for twenty years and well respected in the local community. It’s important that we now help Susan and her family get answers about his exposure to the deadly dust.” Ian Toft - Partner

During his short time at Pollard Bearings during the 1970s, David was employed to scrape down the inside of the furnaces during the summer shut down period. David described his work before he passed away saying he would use a long handled tool to scrape out a fibrous material which he believes to have been asbestos.

David had been diagnosed with kidney disease and was receiving dialysis but managed his condition well. He enjoyed spending time with his family and was a keen writer, only recently having some of his work published by Stairwells in York.

However, he started to suffer chest problems in 2015. Investigations were commenced by his GP leading to a biopsy and a CT scan being performed. Despite this, sadly the diagnosis of mesothelioma was not made until February 2016. David passed away just one week later.

Susan, a mother of two, said: “David and I were shocked and devastated by the diagnosis. We had no time to come to terms with it. We had made plans for our retirement together and now I am facing that future alone.

“I really hope that David’s former work colleagues and employees of Pollard Bearings, Goole Grammar School and Featherstone High School will now help the team at Irwin Mitchell to give any information about the conditions that David worked in so that my family and I can get some answers.”

Anyone with information about the working conditions at the above companies should contact Ian Toft at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office on 0113 218 6453 or email ian.toft@irwinmitchell.com.

If you or a loved one has been affected by an asbestos related illness, our solicitors can help you to claim compensation. See our Asbestos Claims page for more information.