Appeal For Leeds Man’s Old Workmates To Assist With Legal Battle

The widow of a former joiner from Leeds who died of asbestos-related cancer last year is appealing to his old workmates to come forward and help her gain answers regarding how he developed the illness.

Ronald Aspin died aged 79 in April 2018 a matter of weeks after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung commonly associated with asbestos exposure.

Following the father-of-four’s death, Ronald’s widow Joan sought advice from specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his death to help her get some answers about how his illness was caused.

As part of their ongoing investigations, legal experts have now joined with Joan to appeal for Ronald’s former colleagues from a range of jobs to come forward with information which could assist with her case. 

They are specifically keen to hear from anyone who worked with Ronald during his time at Wm Irwin Ltd, F Shepherd & Son, Costains and Leeds City Council throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Fay Marshall, specialist asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office who is representing Joan, said: 

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“Sadly our work means we see numerous cases everyday which highlight the devastating consequences that asbestos exposure can have.

“Ronald’s family remain understandably saddened by his death and are keen for answers on how he came to develop mesothelioma.

“We would be hugely grateful to anyone who may be able to come forward and shed light on situations when Ronald may have been exposed to asbestos.” Fay Marshall - Solicitor

Ronald worked on a range of projects across Leeds during his time as joiner, including the building of the GEM department store in Crossgates on the site of the former Regal Cinema. The building later became an Asda supermarket.

Joan Aspin, 77, added: “Ronald was a much-loved husband and father and the family remains devastated about his death. The prospect of facing our first Christmas without him is a very upsetting one.

“It is particularly hard to think about the awful impact that mesothelioma had on him in such a short space of time. He had always loved horses, and had owned and ridden them throughout his life but he soon became too ill to care for his horses.”

Joan is now determined to get answers for Ronald’s exposure to asbestos, and is calling for help from his former workmates.

Joan added: “We are all desperate to understand how he was exposed to asbestos and to discover if more could have been done to protect him.

“Any help with getting answers regarding his illness would be hugely appreciated. We urge anyone who worked with Ronald, or has information on the presence of asbestos as any of the sites Ronald worked at, to contact our legal team.”

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.

Read about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in mesothelioma cases.