Family Appeal For Information About Spennymoor, Sunderland, Chester-le-Street and Newcastle Companies

The family of a father-of-one who died from an asbestos-related cancer are appealing for help to establish how he was exposed to the hazardous material which claimed his life.

Denis Monaghan, from Great Lumley, County Durham, died aged 85 after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a form of terminal cancer linked to exposure to asbestos often decades previously.

Following his death Denis’ family instructed expert asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his exposure to asbestos and whether it could have been avoided.

Denis’ wife of 62 years, Ann, 84, and daughter Diane, 60, have now joined their legal team at Irwin Mitchell in appealing to his former colleagues for information about where Denis was exposed to asbestos.

Derek Crouch Open Cast Mine in Spennymoor, Swinney and Handyside Haulage in Chester-le-Street and B&M Plant Hire in Fence Houses, Sunderland, were among the places Denis worked during his career.

Expert Opinion

“Being exposed to asbestos materials and fibres can have a terrible impact on the health of workers decades after the initial exposure, and Denis’ case is sadly like many others we see in our work.

“It is yet another tragic case where the person exposed to the substance has been diagnosed with a fatal disease years later. Understandably Ann and Diane are desperate for answers regarding how Denis was exposed to asbestos and if more should have been done to prevent his exposure.

“We would be very grateful to anyone who could offer information, no matter how big or small, on the conditions Denis worked in at any of the companies that he worked for during his working life.” Kirstie Devine - Solicitor

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After completing his National Service aged 20 in 1954, Denis spent eight years employed as a driver and rigger at Derek Crouch Open Cast in Spennymoor.

Denis left in 1962 spending the next 26 years at Swinney and Handyside Haulage Contractors in Great Lumley as a driver and loader of bricks. He was aged 28 to 54 and during this period he worked inside Lumley Brickworks.

In 1988 he left and became a driver for B&M Plant Hire based in Fence Houses for eight years.

Denis was employed as a driver by Newcastle-based MGL from 1996 to 1997, J T Barnes in Sunderland from 1997 to 1998, and Malcolm Pearl in Chester-le-Street from 1998 to 1999, after which he retired.

He first began to feel unwell in September last year, and he was diagnosed with mesothelioma in October for which he underwent chemotherapy.

Around January this year, Denis’ condition significantly deteriorated and he was deemed too unwell to continue with chemotherapy. He died in March.

Diane said: “Dad was such a loving and generous man who would do anything for his family. It is still hard to believe how quickly he was taken from us following his diagnosis. It was awful to see him in so much pain as the cancer took hold of him.

“Me and mum miss him terribly and we have so many questions regarding how he died.

“While nothing can bring him back, we hope to get the answers we need to help us come to terms with our loss. We would be grateful for any piece of anything regardless of how small people may think it is.”

Anyone who was employed by (or who has any information about) any of the companies that Denis worked for is asked to contact Louisa Shaw on 0191 434 0737 or louisa.shaw@irwinmitchell.com