Specialist Lawyers At Irwin Mitchell Are Investigating Man’s Exposure To Asbestos

A site manager from North Yorkshire, who has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, is appealing to his former colleagues for help after instructing specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his exposure to harmful asbestos dust and fibres.

Father-of-three Barry Fitzpatrick, 61 from Skipton, was diagnosed with asbestosis in after undergoing medical tests. Asbestosis is a long term inflammation and scarring of the lungs caused by breathing in asbestos fibres.

Following his diagnosis, Barry instructed asbestos-related disease specialists at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his exposure to asbestos, and whether more could have been done to prevent it.

His legal team at Irwin Mitchell believe that Barry could have been exposed while employed by a building company called Thompson & Co, based in Bradford.

Barry joined Thompsons in 1972 as an apprentice and would work on the ripping out and re-fitting of pub chains, council houses, hospitals and supermarkets during his five years with the company.

Now, he is joining with his legal team to appeal to his former colleagues at Thompsons to come forward with any information on the presence of asbestos on the jobs he was working on.

Fay Marshall, the asbestos-related specialist in Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office representing Barry, said: 

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“This is an example of the dangerous impact that asbestos exposure can have, with the true consequences only becoming apparent decades after contact with the harmful material.

“Since we began working with Barry, we have been working to develop a full picture of our client’s work history and now we’re keen to learn more about his time at Thompson & Co.

“We would be hugely grateful to any of Barry’s former workmates who may be able to shed light on the presence of asbestos at the jobs that Barry would have been a team member on.” Fay Marshall - Solicitor

Barry has recalled that while employed by Thompsons his work would include clearing away debris, ripping out and fitting asbestos sheets, and removing asbestos lagging from pipework.

The company would be contracted to jobs across Yorkshire, meaning Barry worked in different towns and cities across the county.

Barry said: “We worked on a variety buildings, from council offices to hospitals, and from schools to supermarkets. The apprentices did a lot of the ripping out of fittings and fixtures. I was just covered in dust doing those jobs.

“I remember a job at a hospital in Keighley. I was drilling, sawing, screwing and fitting asbestos sheets. This released asbestos dust which I breathed in.

“At another job at a hospital in Bradford I had to remove asbestos pipe lagging from pipes leading to a large boiler. We were covered in asbestos dust all day on that job.”

Barry is now working as a construction site manager but his symptoms are affecting his daily life.

Barry added: “I have always been fit and active, but now I suffer from a shortness of breath and my chest constantly feels heavy.

“I was never warned about the dangers of asbestos at Thompsons and it is hard to take that my illness may have been caused by my work. I simply feel I deserve some answers about what I’m going through. If anyone can help it would be hugely appreciated.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Fay Marshall at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office on 0113 394 6826 or email Fay.Marshall@IrwinMitchell.com.

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