Appeal For Information Regarding Company

A retired office worker from Leicester who was diagnosed with asbestos-related disease in January 2019 has teamed up with legal experts to call on former colleagues from one of her jobs to come forward and help her discover how she developed the illness.

Gillian Poxon, 76, was sent for further investigations after an abnormality on her lungs was identified on a routine scan and following tests it was confirmed that she had developed mesothelioma – a cancer of the lining of the lung linked to asbestos exposure.

After receiving the devastating news, she instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate how she came to develop the illness.

Now, as part of their work, they are appealing for anyone who was employed at Goodwin Barsby & Co in Leicester around the start of the 1970s to come forward and provide information. This was when Gillian worked for the company and she believes that this  may have been where she was exposed to the material.

Expert Opinion

“This is yet another awful case which highlights the terrible impact that asbestos exposure can have on victims, often many years after contact with the material has actually taken place.

“Our investigations we have indicated that Goodwin Barsby & Co is one place where Gillian may well have been exposed to the material, but we now need more information about the factory and the work done there to enable us to see if this was indeed the case.

“Consequently, we would be grateful to anyone who could come forward and provide some details regarding the working conditions that Gillian and others would have faced at this site. We are particularly keen to speak to production and maintenance staff." Roger Maddocks - Partner

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in handling asbestos-relates disease cases 

Gillian was based at Goodwin Barsby & Co’s factory on Watling Street in Leicester when she was employed by the company as a secretary between 1969 and 1973.

She recalled: “The company was part of British Leyland at the time and was involved in manufacturing heavy plant for use in construction and infrastructure work.

“While I worked in the office I would walk through the factory regularly to get to the copy office, although I cannot personally recall whether there were lagged pipes or work going on which made use of asbestos. If I was exposed to the material I certainly was not aware of it.”

Gillian now lives in Consett with her husband Michael Poxon, 77. The couple have been married for 57 years.

Gillian added: “Getting the news of my mesothelioma diagnosis was very hard to take and I am still really trying to come to terms with it.

“My family and I have so many questions regarding how this happened and I would be hugely grateful to anyone who could come forward with the information we need. It could make a huge difference.”

Anyone with information which could assist this case is asked to contact Adam Miller at Irwin Mitchell’s Newcastle office on 0191 434 0708 or email adam.miller@irwinmitchell.com