By Alison Dayani
http://www.birminghammail.net
THE wife of a Birmingham lorry driver who died from a painful lung disease has launched a legal battle for compensation against the company he worked for.
Father-of-four Michael Cartwright, from Selly Oak, was 61-years-old when he died from mesothelioma - a lung cancer normally caused by being exposed to asbestos.
His widow Maureen Cartwright is now taking his former employer Birmingham and Midland Demolition Company to court.
She believes her husband, who was a driver but also loaded building debris from demolition sites at factories and buildings across Birmingham, may have been exposed to asbestos dust while working for the firm during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Mrs Cartwright, along with her two sons and two daughters, is now appealing for former work colleagues of her husband to come forward to help her in the legal battle.
"Michael suffered terribly during his last months from this horrible illness," said Mrs Cartwright.
"Before he was diagnosed, Michael was the family's full-time carer. He cared for our two adult children who have learning difficulties and also our grandchild who suffers with epilepsy.
"Michael was golden, I couldn't have wished for a better husband. We are all finding it very hard to come to terms with his death."
Mr Cartwright was diagnosed with mesothelioma in April 2005 and died just over a year later.
An inquest into Mr Cartwright at Birmingham coroner's court in November 2006 returned a verdict that he died as a result of an industrial disease.
Family solicitor Iain Shoolbred, from law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: "In order for his family to obtain some recompense from the debilitating illness, it is vital that people who have information about the working practices and contracts undertaken at Birmingham and Midland Demolition Company in the late 1960s and 1970s come forward.We are keen to hear from any of his work mates."
Midland Demolition Company has ceased to trade so the family is sueing the company's insurers at the time.
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http://www.birminghammail.net
THE wife of a Birmingham lorry driver who died from a painful lung disease has launched a legal battle for compensation against the company he worked for.
Father-of-four Michael Cartwright, from Selly Oak, was 61-years-old when he died from mesothelioma - a lung cancer normally caused by being exposed to asbestos.
His widow Maureen Cartwright is now taking his former employer Birmingham and Midland Demolition Company to court.
She believes her husband, who was a driver but also loaded building debris from demolition sites at factories and buildings across Birmingham, may have been exposed to asbestos dust while working for the firm during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Mrs Cartwright, along with her two sons and two daughters, is now appealing for former work colleagues of her husband to come forward to help her in the legal battle.
"Michael suffered terribly during his last months from this horrible illness," said Mrs Cartwright.
"Before he was diagnosed, Michael was the family's full-time carer. He cared for our two adult children who have learning difficulties and also our grandchild who suffers with epilepsy.
"Michael was golden, I couldn't have wished for a better husband. We are all finding it very hard to come to terms with his death."
Mr Cartwright was diagnosed with mesothelioma in April 2005 and died just over a year later.
An inquest into Mr Cartwright at Birmingham coroner's court in November 2006 returned a verdict that he died as a result of an industrial disease.
Family solicitor Iain Shoolbred, from law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: "In order for his family to obtain some recompense from the debilitating illness, it is vital that people who have information about the working practices and contracts undertaken at Birmingham and Midland Demolition Company in the late 1960s and 1970s come forward.We are keen to hear from any of his work mates."
Midland Demolition Company has ceased to trade so the family is sueing the company's insurers at the time.