Industrial Illness Specialists Instructed By Family In Battle For Justice

The daughter of a former carpenter left heartbroken after her dad died from an asbestos-related cancer is appealing to his former colleagues for help in her battle for justice.
 
Robert “Bob” Hartwell, affectionately known as Archie during his working life, died aged 72 of mesothelioma - a cancer on the lining of the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos dust - following a nine month battle with the illness.

Devastated by her loss, daughter Lynn, 42, instructed asbestos experts at law firm Irwin Mitchell who are now calling on Archie’s former colleagues at C.E Dyer and Bryant Homes to get in touch.

Archie worked as a carpenter for C.E Dyer, based in Stratford, near Alcester, between 1955 and 1961. Lawyers hope his former colleagues may hold vital information about the presence of asbestos and the working conditions at the company. During his time at C.E Dyer, Archie recalled cutting asbestos sheets which were used in the construction of new build houses.

He also worked for Bryant Homes (now part of the Taylor Wimpey Group), in the New Town area of Redditch as a sub contracted carpenter in the mid to late 1960s. Archie worked on a number of sites involved in the construction of hundreds of newly built homes where he believed he was exposed to asbestos from cutting asbestos sheets used to build the homes.

Grandfather-of-three Archie began to suffer with chest pain and breathlessness in November 2010. He later went for an x-ray and in May the following year was diagnosed with mesothelioma at Warwick hospital. He sadly passed away nine months later at Myton Hospice with his wife Rosemary, 71, and close family by his side.

Lynn said: “We were all shocked when we received the news about Dad’s diagnosis and then to lose him just nine months later was heartbreaking. He was always an active man and to see him deteriorate so rapidly was hard to see.

“The chemotherapy treatment he had made him terribly unwell.  Dad loved to spend time with his family.  My brother Bob has learning difficulties and Dad would often take him and my autistic son Nathaniel out to the park or into town at weekends.

“We urge anyone who worked with my dad to come forward with information about the working conditions or the use of asbestos at either of the two companies as it could help us in our battle for justice and allow us to finally lay him to rest.”

Anyone who thinks they can help is asked to contact Mark Lennon at Irwin Mitchell on 0121 214 5407 or email mark.lennon@irwinmitchell.com.

If you or a loved one has been affected by an asbestos related illness, our solicitors can help you to claim compensation. See our Asbestos Claims page for more information.