Specialist Industrial Disease Lawyers At Irwin Mitchell Settle Case Against Cramlington Man’s Former Employers

A devastated Cramlington woman has received an undisclosed settlement after her late husband was exposed to harmful asbestos at work decades ago, causing him to develop mesothelioma, a terminal cancer.

Alan Cook, a former laboratory technician from Dudley, Cramlington was diagnosed with the disease in March 2015 after suffering indigestion and stomach pain and sadly passed away on 26 September 2015, aged 68, after a short battle with the disease.

Before his death he instructed expert asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate how he was exposed to the deadly material and if more should have been done by his former employers to protect him.

Since his death, his widow, Jennifer Cook, continued to fight for answers and her legal team have now secured an undisclosed settlement from the insurers of Tioxide, the company where Alan believed he was exposed to asbestos dust and fibres despite them denying liability right up until the settlement was agreed.

The case was able to be concluded thanks to the help of his former colleagues after an appeal for help in the News Guardian. 

He worked at the company’s Billingham site between 1965 and 1970, where his role included conducting experiments on titanium pigment, which was used in toothpaste, white bread and plastics.

Before his death he said that he and his colleagues would use two types of asbestos rope during the experiments, which they would touch with their bare hands and cut with knives.

Alan told his legal team at Irwin Mitchell that the ropes would release dust and fibres into the atmosphere and that his work clothes were often covered in asbestos dust by the end of the day.

He also recalled the pipework at the facility being lagged with asbestos and repair work taking place while he was present, which led to further dust and fibres being released into the working atmosphere.

Jennifer, backed by asbestos-related disease experts at Irwin Mitchell, had appealed for Alan’s former colleagues from Tioxide to come forward with crucial information on the presence of asbestos at the company’s Billingham site and the safety measures, if any, implemented to protect workers from the dangers of asbestos. His former colleagues were able to support his recollection that he was exposed to asbestos and that he received little or no protection.

Roger Maddocks, a Partner and specialist asbestos related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Newcastle office said: 

Expert Opinion

“Asbestos dust and fibres can be extremely dangerous when inhaled or ingested and can cause a number of serious and sometimes fatal diseases, but all too often we see instances where employees were not given the correct information or protective equipment to prevent their exposure to the deadly material.

“Alan’s diagnosis had a huge impact on his life and he wanted to know why he was exposed to asbestos dust and fibres without any warnings about the risks the material posed.

"We are pleased to be able to support his family by achieving justice for his exposure to asbestos and securing them a settlement. It is however disappointing that despite the evidence the case was fought by the other side to the bitter end and we were forced to issue High Court proceedings in a bid to get them the answers they deserve about Alan’s death.” Roger Maddocks - Partner

Jennifer said: “Alan’s mesothelioma diagnosis was a terrible shock to us all and it was terrible to see him in so much distress and losing so much weight.

“We are still struggling to come to terms with his death and while we know nothing can ever bring him back we feel that the settlement gives us some comfort that we have received some justice for what Alan endured.

“I’m very grateful to his former colleagues for helping support us in our legal battle, especially as the other side disputed what had happened for so long.”