Specialist Lawyers Are To Issue Court Proceedings as County Durham Man Battles for Answers

A former cable jointer from County Durham who is suffering from an asbestos-related cancer is taking an important step towards getting the answers he needs after lawyers at Irwin Mitchell issued court proceedings against his former employers on his behalf.

Barry Daykin, 77, who is now retired and lives in Darlington, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in January 2017.  Mesothelioma is a cancer affecting the lining of the lungs, which is caused by exposure to asbestos often decades before symptoms begin to show.

Barry instructed a team of expert asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate how and where he was exposed to asbestos dust and fibres and whether more could have been done to protect him. Now his legal team have issued formal court proceedings against his former employers after they have failed to admit responsibility for his illness.

With the backing of Irwin Mitchell, Barry is appealing for former colleagues who worked with him during 1967 and 1992, at General Post Office, now known as BT, where he was employed as a cable jointer.

Barry has recalled to his legal team that he believe he may have been exposed to asbestos when repairing cables in heating ducts at numerous locations including Catterick Camp, Darlington Memorial Hospital, and Paton & Baldwins factory in Darlington.

Within the ducts were heating pipes which were covered in lagging, which Barry believes to have been asbestos lagging. Within the ducts, the work would at times involve Barry crawling along the pipework or even removing some of the asbestos lagging to gain access to the pipe, a process that created a lot of dust.

Roger Maddocks, a Partner and expert industrial disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: 

Expert Opinion

“Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of cancer that’s caused by exposure to asbestos dust decades ago and it can cause a great deal of pain and suffering for victims like Barry.

“All too often we see a case like Barry’s where workers spent time working environments where they were exposed to asbestos dust and were not made aware, by their employers, of the dangers of asbestos dust. It can take decades for symptoms to develop and often it is then difficult for victims to recall in detail how and where they were exposed.

“We are committed to getting answers for Barry, and are assisting him by investigating conditions at his former employers. We have been left with no choice but to issue legal proceedings in the High Court in the hope Barry will get the answers he wants.” Roger Maddocks - Partner

Barry said: “My mesothelioma diagnosis really did knock me back, and now I am worried about what the future holds for me as my condition gets worse. Finding out that my mesothelioma may have been caused by exposure to asbestos while I was working simply added insult to injury.

“My former employers never warned me of the dangers of asbestos dust.

“I instructed my legal team to investigate where exactly I was exposed to asbestos and if my former employers could have prevented my exposure to it by taking the appropriate safety measures. If you do have any information that could aid this investigation, please do get in touch.”

Anyone with information should contact Michael McGowan on 0191 434 0704 or email Michael.McGowan@IrwinMitchell.com.