Information Sought On Working Conditions At Yale Security Products based at Wood Street Willenhall

The family of a West Midlands woman who died of asbestos-related cancer have joined with legal experts to launch an appeal for her former workmates to help them gain answers regarding how she developed the illness.

Doreen Sunnucks, from Willenhall, Walsall, died aged 88 in December 2018 just five months after she was diagnosed with mesothelioma – an aggressive cancer of the lining of the lung which is commonly linked to contact with asbestos.

Before she died, Doreen instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell’s Birmingham office to investigate whether the illness may be linked to her work history and her family are continuing with the search for answers in her memory.

Now, as part of their ongoing efforts, they are calling on anyone who worked with Doreen while she was employed at Yale Security Products in Willenhall between 1971 and 1989 to come forward and provide information on the conditions she would have faced at the site.

Expert Opinion

"This is sadly yet another devastating case which highlights the huge impact that mesothelioma can have, with Doreen sadly passing away just months after her diagnosis.

“Prior to her death, Doreen told us of how she felt asbestos exposure may have occurred during her time at this company and we would be keen for more information regarding whether that may have been the case.

“Her family remain determined to get answers regarding the illness which took her life and we want to support them in any way that we can. We would be hugely grateful to anyone who may be able to help us.” Satinder Bains - Partner

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Doreen was married to Anthony Sunnucks, known as Tony, who also worked at the company as a store’s foreman. He died in 2005. The couple had one child and two grandchildren.

Doreen worked as a docket clerk and checker at Yale Security Products on Wood Street. In this role she would move around the factory as part of her duties and liaise with the wages department with any queries raised by work colleagues.

Before she died, she told Irwin Mitchell how the factory was an old building where lots of pipework would hang low from the ceiling and there was periodic maintenance and re-ordering of the building facilities. She also added that there were a lot of pipes close to the office where she worked and thought some of them may have been lagged with asbestos. The air seemed to be full of dust most days.

Son, Anthony, aged 67, said: “We were dumbfounded when Mom received her diagnosis and it was shocking to see how quickly mesothelioma took hold of her. Losing her just before Christmas made that period incredibly hard.

“While we know nothing will bring her back, we want to understand how she developed mesothelioma and whether more could have been done to prevent it.

“It is too late for Mom, but we feel we need to honour her memory by at least finding out the answers she was unable to before she died.

“We would appreciate any help with this. Any piece of information could be vital.”

Anyone with information about working conditions at Yale Security Products is asked to call Satinder Bains at Irwin Mitchell on 0121 214 5281 or email satinder.bains@irwinmitchell.com