Specialist Lawyers Have Been Instructed To Investigate Asbestos Exposure That Caused The Disease

The widow of a former Yorkshire Switchgear worker is appealing to her husband’s former colleagues for help after instructing specialist industrial illness lawyers at Irwin Mitchell following his death from the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma.

Mr Terence Smith, from Leeds, sadly passed away at St Gemma Hospice on 16 December 2016, aged 78, from mesothelioma, a terminal cancer which affects the lining of the lungs and is caused by exposure to asbestos decades before symptoms appear.

Jean Smith, Terence’s widow, instructed specialist industrial illness experts at Irwin Mitchell to investigate where Terence was exposed to asbestos and whether more could have been done to protect him during his employment at the firm.

Together, Jean and her legal team believe he was exposed to asbestos while employed by Yorkshire Switchgear.

They are now appealing to Mr Smith’s former colleagues that worked with him at Yorkshire Switchgear between 1954 and 1998 at the firm’s Meanwood Road base to come forward with information on the working conditions that Mr Smith would have experienced.

His family have recalled to their legal team stories of how Mr Smith used to work with substations and switches in the Meanwood Road premises of Yorkshire Switchgear and would return home covered in dirt and dust from his work.

Jean, who was married to Terence for 54 years and had two children with him, said: “Terence’s mesothelioma diagnosis was a terrible shock to us all and it was terrible to see him in so much distress.

“I urge any of his former colleagues to contact my legal team at Irwin Mitchell if they have any information on the working conditions he endured. Unfortunately we were not able to get answers for Terence while he was alive but I am determined to get justice for him now.”

Mr Smith, who was also diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in October 2016 five years after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The combination of the two meant he struggled to respond to simple questions, meaning he could only recall stories of general exposure to asbestos, and not describe exactly when and how it occurred because of his illness.

Ian Toft, Head of Industrial Disease at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office, who represents Terence’s family, said: 

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“The family have been understandably devastated by his death.

“Unfortunately, we often see cases like Terence’s, where a family has been deprived of a key family member simply because they weren’t given training and protection against the risks of asbestos despite the dangers and risks from exposure to asbestos dust were widely known by companies throughout the 1950’s.

“It is widely known that electric switchgear often contains asbestos and we believe that Terence was exposed to asbestos while working for Yorkshire Switchgear.” Ian Toft - Partner & Head of Asbestos and Occupational Disease (North)

Anybody who knew or worked with Mr Smith at Yorkshire Switchgear is asked to come forward and help the family’s investigation by contacting Ian Toft at Irwin Mitchell on 0113 218643 or by email at ian.toft@irwinmitchell.com.