Family Have Joined Up With Lawyers To Get Answers For Woman’s Fatal Asbestos Exposure

The family of a cleaner, who died following a diagnosis of asbestos-related cancer, have joined with specialist lawyers to appeal for her former colleagues to come forward and help them gain answers regarding her illness.

Mother-of-one Maureen Faulkner, known as Maureen Mayo during her employment with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, sadly passed away on 19 August 2015 aged 77, only a short time after being diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that develops on the lining of the lungs which is commonly associated with exposure to asbestos.  It often takes decades for symptoms to show following the exposure.

After her death, Maureen’s family instructed specialist asbestos-related illness lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate her exposure to the deadly dust.

Together, the family and their legal team believe she was exposed to asbestos dust while working as a cleaner at the former Wood Green College on Wood Green Road, Wednesbury. Maureen began working at the college in 1976 and worked there until she was made redundant by the Council in 1990. Wood Green College was subsequently demolished.

They are now appealing for anyone with information on the presence of asbestos at the college to come forward and contact them as the family fights to get justice for Maureen.

Hayley Hill, the expert asbestos related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the family, said: 

Expert Opinion

“Mesothelioma is a terrible illness for which there is sadly no cure. There is known to be a great deal of asbestos in municipal buildings which a high number of people have likely been exposed to.

“Anyone who worked on the former Wood Green College site from the 1970s onwards is asked to please get in touch with any information they have, as this could really help us with the investigation and provide Maureen’s family with the answers they deserve.” Hayley Hill - Senior Associate Solicitor

Maureen, whose husband, John, died eight years ago, was part of small team of women employed by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council to clean the College. Jane, Maureen’s sister-in-law, was also part of this team.

Jane has recalled to her legal team that remedial works were carried out to the ceilings of Wood Green College in the mid to late 1980s. As part of Maureen’s job, she was expected to clear up after workmen who had been on site, but was provided with no protection against hazardous materials that are believed to have been disturbed by the workmen.

Jane said “Maureen’s diagnosis came as a huge shock and hit us very hard as a family. We were all devastated by her death and she remains sorely missed by us all.

“We would be hugely grateful if anyone with information related to the working conditions and presence of asbestos at the Wood Green College site during the years she was there could come forward.”

Anyone able to help in this matter is encouraged to contact Hayley Hill at Irwin Mitchell on 0121 214 5407 or by email using Hayley.Hill@IrwinMitchell.com. 

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in mesothelioma cases.