With every day bringing new advice and guidance, we recognise that we’ve had to adapt our business model to provide advice, assistance and legal solutions for our clients. We are operating our services as usual. At this time we would like you to meet our solicitors who are working remotely to deliver services in our usual professional and efficient way.

Michael Hollywood –  Michael’s work embraces some of the most traumatic cases handled by the HHD practice. He specialises in personal injury litigation, most notably with cases related to asbestos diseases &  work related accidents. Indeed, it is with regard to asbestosis that Michael is best known. He is one of the most respected experts in this field, and with over 25 years’ experience, he is one of only a very few solicitors in Northern Ireland to provide detailed asbestos expertise.

Michael understands that many of our clients have worked in the building and construction industry as well as within the shipyard and will have been exposed to asbestos dust in the course of their work, including assisting fitters working on pipes. He knows that when the client was exposed to the asbestos dust, the tiny fibres would become airborne and would have been easy to inhale, and subsequently decades later, the client maybe diagnosed with an asbestos disease, such as pleural plaques, pleural thickening, asbestosis or mesothelioma.

At HHD we have experience of dealing with secondary exposure to asbestos. This was a common occurrence involving a housewife who greeted her asbestos fibre-laden husband (or could be son, father, etc.) each day when he came home from work. Usually, these workers were given no opportunity to change clothes or shower before they headed home; hence, their clothing, hair, and body were often covered with dust when they arrived. The women were charged with the responsibility of shaking out the dust and laundering the clothes. Some did this every night. Once the clothes were shaken, the tiny fibres would become airborne and were easy to inhale, especially in a small enclosed space like a kitchen, where ventilation was likely to be poor. Decades later, she would be diagnosed with an asbestos disease.

Meticulous care, coupled with compassion and sensitivity are the hallmarks of Michael’s approach to working with clients and their families. In recent weeks due to the Coronavirus pandemic and restrictions within Northern Ireland, Michael has been working remotely from his home consulting with clients, solicitors and barristers. Michael is usually to be found at his desk in his home office engaging with clients, insurance companies and other third parties via telephone and video link, though he would say that he much prefers face to face contact and misses meeting with his clients. #bringbackinpersonmeetings

At Higgins Hollywood Deazley solicitors in Belfast our aim is to provide our clients with first class legal advice and sound practical support. #BusinessAsUsual
Thank you #staysafe