Daughter Has Instructed Specialist Lawyers At Irwin Mitchell To Investigate Mother’s Exposure To Asbestos

A Walker woman is appealing to her father’s former shipyard colleagues for vital information regarding his exposure to asbestos following her mother’s death from an asbestos-related cancer.

Sheila Mole, from Walker in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, died in December, 2015, aged 75, a number of months after being diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer affecting the lining of the lung and is commonly associated with exposure to asbestos. It can take decades for symptoms to show after the exposure.

Lawyers at Irwin Mitchell instructed by Sheila’s daughter, Susan Wall, believe Sheila was exposed to the fatal dust and fibres when cleaning the work overalls of her husband, George Mole. Sadly George passed away in October, 1983, aged 44.

Together, Susan, 56, and her legal team are appealing to anyone who remembers working with George at Vickers Armstrongs (Shipbuilders) Ltd, between 1961 and 1968. They are keen to discuss the presence of asbestos at the Vickers Armstrongs Shipbuilding Naval Yard in Tyne and Wear as part of their investigations.

Roger Maddocks, a Partner and the asbestos-related specialist at Irwin Mitchell representing Susan, said: 

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“We’ve sadly seen many situations like this where secondary exposure to harmful asbestos has occurred affecting not just those working with the substance but also those who live with them.

“Sheila was just trying to care for her husband and family but she was given a fatal sentence due to asbestos exposure.

“We are looking for people who worked with George Mole at the Vickers Armstrongs Shipbuilding Naval Yard in Tyne and Wear, as they may be able to help provide vital information so that we can get some answers for Susan.” Roger Maddocks - Partner

Susan’s legal team believe that George would have been exposed to asbestos when working on ships in the boiler rooms, engine rooms and around the ships on the pipework, all of which would be lagged in asbestos.

Although George was employed as a welder for the majority of his employment at the shipyard, he would work in close proximity to the laggers who would create a lot of dust mixing the paste and removing old lagging from the pipework.

Once the lagging had been removed, it would often be left on the floor and the dust that was created would linger in the air. Workers would inevitably inhale this as they carried out their work.

Susan, said: “Mum’s diagnosis came as a huge shock to us all. We all miss her so much and think about her daily.

“Learning that the cause of her illness was exposure to asbestos through washing dad’s work overalls is just an extremely bitter pill to swallow. She was just being a good wife, yet it feels like she has been punished for it.

“I urge anyone who thinks they have information regarding the presence of asbestos at dad’s shipyard to contact my legal team at Irwin Mitchell so I can get the justice for mum that we sadly couldn’t get while she was still with us.”

Anyone with information on the presence of asbestos at the Vickers Armstrongs Shipbuilder Naval Yard in Tyne and Wear is urged to contact Sonia Akram on 0191 279 0092 or email Sonia.Akram@IrwinMitchell.com. 

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in mesothelioma cases.