Specialist Industrial Disease Lawyers Have Issued Court Proceedings In Battle For Justice

Specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers have issued court proceedings against North East firm C A Parsons & Co. Limited in a bid to secure justice for a former electrical fitter who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a terminal cancer caused by exposure to asbestos decades ago.

Daniel McLeod, 67, from Blaydon, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in March 2015 after developing a pain in his abdomen. He instructed specialist industrial disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to find out whether more could have been done by his former employers to protect him from the deadly substance during his employment.

He believes he developed mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos dust and fibres while working for C A Parsons & Co. Ltd., on Shields Road, Heaton, where he worked as an office boy, apprentice electrical fitter and fully-qualified electrical fitter from 1963 until 1971.

Expert lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have now issued High Court proceedings against C A Parsons, which has so far denied any breach of duty or negligence relating to Daniel’s exposure to asbestos while he worked at the company, in a bid to secure justice for him and his wife, Joyce.

Daniel, along with his legal team at Irwin Mitchell’s Newcastle office, is also appealing for anyone who worked with him at C A Parsons & Co. Ltd. To come forward with information they have on the working conditions at the firm and how he may have been exposed to asbestos.

Daniel recalls that the pipework at the premises in Heaton were lagged with asbestos and some of the metalwork in the workshops, which Daniel and his colleagues would sit on during breaks, was sprayed with asbestos.

He also spent time in the Blade shop, Transformer shop and Turbine Erection Shop where asbestos products were used. In addition he was exposed in the Test Shops on the main Parson’s site at Heaton and also at the firms Longbenton site. 

He told his legal team at Irwin Mitchell that while working for C A Parsons he spent time working at the Ratcliff on Soar power station near Nottingham during its construction.

He recalled working alongside other tradesmen and was exposed to asbestos dust from the activities of laggers who mixed asbestos paste and applied it to pipework. Daniel said the site was very dusty and that asbestos dust and fibres were often released into the atmosphere.

Daniel said he was not provided any protective respiratory equipment and that no protective equipment, such as masks, extractors or ventilators were used.

Roger Maddocks, a Partner and expert asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing him, said:

Expert Opinion

“Since Daniel’s diagnosis he has suffered a significant amount of pain and a number of invasive medical procedures and understandably wants to know the reason behind the development of his mesothelioma cancer.

“The disease is an extremely aggressive and terminal form of cancer that causes a significant amount of pain and suffering for victims like Daniel. The disease has had a huge impact on his life and he is very concerned about what the future holds.

“He spent long periods of his working life as an electrical fitter and during his time at C A Parsons he spent long periods in an environment where asbestos use was common and as a result we believe he was exposed to the harmful dust and fibres over a long period of time.

“All too often we see cases where employers have failed to act to alert their employees to the dangers of asbestos and protect their workers from the consequences of exposure to asbestos, despite knowing the dangers. We hope that by issuing High Court proceedings we move his case forward and secure justice for Daniel, his wife Joyce, and their family.” Roger Maddocks - Partner

Daniel, a grandfather-of-five, said: “My mesothelioma diagnosis came as an absolute shock to me and to find out that it may have been caused by exposure at work added further insult to injury.

“I’m worried about what the future holds for me and Joyce as we don’t know how my health will hold up.

“I hope by taking legal action that the risks associated with asbestos will remain in the public eye and ensure employers do everything they possibly can to prevent others from suffering the same problems as I am now.”

Anyone with information on the working conditions at C A Parsons & Co. Ltd. should contact Dawn Hodgson on 0191 279 0104 or email Dawn.Hodgson@IrwinMitchell.com