‘How did our dad contract the illness that killed him?’

David Watson worked in construction for the whole of his working life, which began in 1952 when he was aged only 15, and was fit and healthy until he began to show symptoms of mesothelioma, in early 2023.

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, which affects the lining of the lung and chest wall, and its symptoms usually only become apparent decades after a person has unwittingly contracted the deadly disease.

Only weeks after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, grandad-of-five David, from Liverpool, sadly passed away aged 85 in May 2023. To add to the family’s devastation, his wife Brenda, who has dementia and was cared for by her husband, needed to move into a care home.

His sons Kevin and Graham now want answers as to where their dad was exposed to the asbestos which ultimately led to his death – and for any former colleagues who may be able to help to come forward.

“My dad was fit and healthy, he was still up the ladders cleaning windows at 85, but his decline through mesothelioma left us devastated. It happened so quickly, in just a few weeks,” says Kevin.

“When he was told the news of his condition, he couldn’t take it in. His first reaction was ‘This can’t happen, I’ve got a wife at home who I need to care for’. He did all he could, it was probably already too much for him at his age, but he was a very proud man. The mesothelioma changed everything so quickly.

“It has been such a shock and he would have hated leaving mum on her own. We want to know where dad was exposed to asbestos and would be so grateful for anyone’s support with his – he deserves some justice.”

David, who lived in the Knotty Ash area, worked for a number of construction businesses across Merseyside from 1961 to 1972, and then from 1984 to 1995.

He had multiple periods of employment with employers including Allen Building, Bill Fawley Construction, Hynd Construction, John Williams, Lockwoods Construction, Unit Construction and WM Tomkinson & Sons.

“There was never any idea of the implications of working with asbestos, he would never have even thought there was any risk to his long-term health in this way, just by going to work,” says Graham.

When David contracted Covid in February 2023, he began to experience some problems with his breathing. After a number of scans at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospitals, and having his lungs drained twice, he was given the devastating news that he had mesothelioma.

“He deteriorated so quickly. A week before he died, he was in hospital again on a drip because his kidney failed. The hospital let him come home, which was his wish. He died in my brother’s arms,” recalls Kevin.

“The first sign of anything was when had a dry cough before he was diagnosed, and he struggled to talk to me on the phone without taking a drink. But once he was told he had cancer, he really went downhill.”

Graham adds: “We really want to know why this happened. Dad was fit and healthy and we never imagined the end would be so quick and so cruel. We are devastated and would be so grateful for any help in understanding how he died in the way he did.”

The Watson family have turned to law firm Slater and Gordon for support in understanding how David contracted mesothelioma.

Christopher Briggs, senior associate in our industrial disease team, says: “David’s untimely death has understandably left his family absolutely heartbroken. It was merely weeks from his diagnosis to his death – such a short period to come to terms with the fact he had mesothelioma, coupled with David’s rapid decline, have made this situation so much worse for them.

“We are supporting them to get to the truth of how David’s illness came about in every way we can – and the evidence of any former colleagues during his career in construction on Merseyside could be invaluable in this. Kevin and his family would be hugely grateful for any support anyone could give, to help them with the many unanswered questions they have.”

Anyone who has any information that could assist the Watson family can contact Christopher Briggs on Christopher.briggs@slatergordon.uk or 0330 995 5368