Loved Ones And Lawyers Seeking Information On Several Companies

The widow of a former electrician from Suffolk who died of asbestos-related disease last year has joined with specialist lawyers to call on his old workmates to come forward and help them gain answers regarding how he came to develop the illness.

Royston Pothan, from Lowestoft, passed away aged 80 on 2nd March 2018 after suffering for months after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma - a cancer of the lining of the lung which is most commonly associated with exposure to asbestos-related materials.

Following his death, Royston’s wife Edna, instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell’s Cambridge office to investigate Royston’s illness and whether it could be related to asbestos exposure which is thought to have occurred during his working life.

Now, as part of their ongoing investigations, the legal experts are looking to gather more information on whether Royston came into contact with the material during his time while he was involved in projects related to Scrivens of Luton, Hearsons of London and A C Delco between 1950 and 1960.

The appeal has come as a huge number of people across the UK prepare to mark Workers’ Memorial Day, with this year’s commemoration having a focus on asbestos and similar issues with the theme of ‘dangerous substances – get them out of the workplace’.

Expert Opinion

“This case is sadly like so many we are involved in, with Royston developing mesothelioma many years after his contact with asbestos is thought to have taken place.

We would be hugely grateful to anyone who may be able to shed light on the work conditions Royston may have faced during this specific time period, as such information could be key to getting Edna the answers and justice she deserves.

This year’s Workers’ Memorial Day theme is a welcome one, as it is putting a real spotlight on the dangerous materials people have worked with through the years. Asbestos has blighted so many lives and it is vital that the inherent dangers of the material are never forgotten.”
Rosemary Giles - Partner

Royston met Edna while they were both working at A C Delco, which manufactured car parts, in Dunstable and married soon after in April 1956. However, Royston was actually employed by Scrivens of Luton at the time and that company was contracted by Hearsons of London to undertake work on the site.

Edna recalled: “Royston used to talk to me about how he worked in boiler houses doing rewiring work and how sometimes his job meant going into roof spaces too. It is only as time has gone by that I’ve realised that asbestos could well have been present. He did work like that up until he started his own business in the early 1960s and was involved in more residential projects.

“It was very hard seeing how his health deteriorated in the final months of his life and it was made more difficult by the fact I had injured my back and couldn’t care for him in his final days.

“I miss him so much everyday and would hugely appreciate any help in getting some answers regarding the illness which ultimately took his life.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Rosemary Giles at Irwin Mitchell’s Cambridge office on 01223 791 810 or email rosemary.giles@irwinmitchell.com

Workers’ Memorial Day is on Sunday, 28 April, and is a day to ‘remember the dead and to fight for the living’ by paying respects to those who have died as a result of their employment. The day campaigns to improve health and safety standards in the workplace, and increase protection in place for employees.

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