Specialist Lawyers Recovered Over £2,500 For Kirkwood Hospice

The Yorkshire hospice that cared for a former textile mill maintenance man, who died from an asbestos-related cancer, is to receive a helpful boost after specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell recovered the man’s care costs.

Brian Newby, from Skelmanthorpe, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in November 2016, and died in February this year. Mesothelioma is a fatal disease that affects the inner lining of the lungs and is caused by exposure to asbestos decades before symptoms including pain, breathlessness and weight loss, appear.  

After his diagnosis, Brian instructed expert industrial disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate how and when he was exposed to asbestos with the initial focus on his former workplaces.

Following his death, his daughter, Stella, carried on Brian’s claim and her legal team at Irwin Mitchell was able to recover £2,848.09 of care costs for Kirkwood Hospice.

Brian was a resident at the hospice shortly before his death.

Stella said: “It was very tough to see how mesothelioma affected Brian, but the help and support of Kirkwood Hospice proved so important in his final days.

“It is fantastic news that these costs have been recovered for his care and we hope that the funds go some way towards helping others who face the same difficulties in the coming months and years.”

The news of the costs recovery comes during Hospice Care Week. 

An initiative of Hospice UK, Hospice Care Week is an annual celebration of the great care given and work done by hospices around the UK. The aim is to help raise the profile of hospice care across the UK.

Ian Toft, a Partner in Irwin Mitchell’s Asbestos-Related Disease team in Leeds, said: 

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“Hospices play a hugely important role in many communities and we are delighted that we have been able to give back to a vital organisation like Kirkwood Hospice.

“I am proud that as part of our work, the team at Irwin Mitchell in Leeds has managed to secure £332,000 for hospices across the county, by recovering the care costs for those who were exposed to harmful materials during their working life.

“Hospice Care Week presents us with a chance to promote the great work done by hospice staff and to raise awareness of the challenges they face.” Ian Toft - Partner

Read about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in asbestos-related disease cases.