Ask open questions
“What do you remember about his work?” is often better than “Did he work with asbestos?” Start with the scene before the conclusion.
Family & Coworker Memory
One person rarely remembers the whole history
A spouse may remember the work clothes. A child may remember a father's boots by the door. A coworker may remember the equipment. A sibling may remember where the family lived. These pieces can be useful when they are kept separate and not forced into agreement.
Capture exact words
Write down what the person actually remembers—names, colors, tasks, locations, nicknames, packaging, machines—without translating it immediately into legal terminology.
Separate memory from later research
Keep the original recollection distinct from facts learned later. That preserves the value of both.
Do not force consistency
Two people can remember the same period differently. A good investigation records uncertainty and tests it against records.
Questions That Can Help
Where did the person work? What did the clothing look like at the end of the day? Who washed it? Were boots or tools kept in the house or garage? What machines or materials did coworkers remember? Were there shutdowns, renovations, dusty tasks, shipyard periods or construction projects?