Son of Batley man killed by asbestos-related disease appeals for answers regarding his illness

Austin Calvert passed away at the age of 78 in November 2018, with a post-mortem stating that asbestosis – scarring of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos decades previously – was one of several factors which contributed to his death.

An inquest held in August 2019 concluded that he died of industrial disease.

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Following Austin’s death, his son John instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office to investigate his exposure to asbestos and whether it may have occurred during his working life.

Now, as part of their ongoing investigations, the legal experts and Mr Calvert are calling on anyone who worked with Austin at Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd (ICI) in Huddersfield from 1961 to 1993 to come forward and provide information on the working conditions he would have faced.

More specifically, they are keen for detail on his time as a lagger in the early 1960s.

As part of the inquest into Austin’s death, the successors to ICI wrote a letter to the Coroner stating that asbestos was present on the ICI Huddersfield site, and that lagging work in the early 1960s would have given rise to a potential for exposure.

Austin grew up and attended schools in Batley. He married Patricia in 1962. Together they had four children.

John, 53, from Mirfield, said: “It was truly devastating losing dad and more than 12 months on we still have so many questions regarding everything that he went through in the final weeks of his life.

“While the inquest told us that he was exposed to asbestos at ICI, we now need more information to determine exactly where and how dad was in contact with the substance that led to his death.

“We would be grateful if people could come forward to help us, and any detail about working alongside dad or even doing similar work would make a massive difference. Any help would be hugely appreciated.”

Dominic Riley, the specialist asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who is representing John, said: “This is yet another case which demonstrates how the devastating consequences of asbestos exposure only tend to become clear many years after contact with the material is thought to have taken place.

“Just past a year on from Austin’s death, John has many questions regarding how it could have happened.

“We now require more detail from people who worked alongside Austin or in similar roles to understand if that may have been the case. We would be grateful to anyone who is able to assist us in our investigations.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dominic Riley at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office on 0113 394 6829 or email [email protected].