Expert Industrial Disease Lawyers Investigating Asbestos Exposure

The family of a painter and decorator who died from an asbestos related cancer is appealing for his former colleagues to help expert lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate whether more could have been done by his employers to protect him from the deadly dust.

Peter Joseph O’Reilly from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, died on 18 April 2016 aged 79, two months after being diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is an incurable asbestos related cancer affecting the lining of the lungs which develops as a result of exposure to harmful dust and fibres decades ago.

During his lifetime, Peter recalled working for many local employers in the West Yorkshire area.

When he received the devastating diagnosis, he recalled working for Fred Bean Limited as a painter and decorator and being contracted out to work at the BBA factory in Cleckheaton.  Peter recalled undertaking painting and decorating work that would have led to substantial exposure to asbestos dust.

Peter also worked as a painter and decorator at A Bagnall & Sons Limited, Pickles Ayland (Successors) Limited, JD Tighe & Co, Modernisation Limited and Raikes Construction Limited.  Potential exposure to asbestos may have occurred whilst he was employed at all of these companies undertaking painting and decorating work due to the industrial and commercial nature of the work that Peter was skilled to undertake.

Peter was employed by the above companies in the 1960s to early 1970s.

Following his death, his family instructed Industrial Disease Experts at law firm Irwin Mitchell to investigate where he was exposed to asbestos and why he wasn’t provided with adequate safety equipment to protect him during his employment.

Together, the family and their legal team are now appealing for former colleagues who worked at any of the above companies to help with the investigation as they may have crucial information on the working conditions that Peter was exposed to.

Nicola Handley, the specialist industrial diseases Solicitor at Irwin Mitchell representing the family, said: 

Expert Opinion

“Mesothelioma is incurable and the debilitating symptoms can only be treated temporarily. The effects of working with asbestos didn’t occur until decades later and Peter’s family have suffered terribly simply because he wasn’t adequately protected at work.

“We believe that Peter was substantially exposed to asbestos while working in the conditions he described before his death. We are therefore seeking to find answers for his family now in order to help them understand precisely how his exposure to asbestos arose and during which employment.

“We are urging any of Peter’s former colleagues to come forward to help us with the investigation with any information about the working conditions and his employment at Fred Bean Limited, A Bagnall & Sons Limited, Pickles Ayland, JD Tighe, Modernisation Limited and Raikes Construction Limited.

“Despite it being known that Peter’s illness was related to asbestos exposure, we are still required to provide the necessary evidence ourselves in order to resolve the case. This is despite the fact that some companies often have documentation within their own possession such as plans and reports that could quickly prove whether or not exposure to asbestos may have occurred." Nicola Handley - Senior Associate Solicitor

Peter’s daughter, Tracey O’Reilly, 49, said: “My father was fit and well prior to the diagnosis. He enjoyed playing golf regularly, either nine or 18 holes almost daily.

“My father was also a full time carer for my mother who is presently housebound due to crippling arthritis and angina.  Following my father’s diagnosis in February 2016, he rapidly went downhill.  We had to provide care and support not only to my father but also to my mother during an extremely distressing time.

“It has been very difficult for the family to come to terms with the fact that my father’s illness was caused by his exposure to asbestos decades ago simply by going to work and it is very important that we now find the answer to how this has happened.

Anyone who knew or worked with Peter and can provide any information is asked to contact Nicola Handley at Irwin Mitchell on 0113 220 6233 or by email at Nicola.Handley@irwinmitchell.com.