Asbestos Compensation Personal Injury News:

Work Related Personal Injury Claims

Claiming Compensation for Asbestosis

According to recent figures by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), every week in the UK, on average, four plumbers, 20 tradesmen, six electricians and eight joiners die as a result of exposure to asbestos during their career.

Other figures suggest that the total death toll in Britain from asbestos-related diseases could be as high as 4,000 and, equally shocking, many more thousands could be living with debilitating, life-threatening symptoms associated with asbestos.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a natural mineral that is mined from rock and was widely used until the late 1980's by tradesmen throughout the construction, automotive and engineering industries due to its fireproof and heat insulating properties. When inhaled it can do permanent damage to the lungs.

There are actually two main types of asbestos fibres: Serpentine fibres, include chrysotile asbestos (also known as white asbestos) and are the softest asbestos fibres. Meanwhile amphibole fibres include Crocidolite (blue asbestos) and Amosite (brown asbestos). These are needle-like and stiff.

Blue asbestos is considered the most dangerous type of asbestos as it is resistant to destruction by the body's defences and fibres can remain in the lung permanently.

Conditions associated with exposure to asbestos include:

Pleural thickening.
Asbestosis
Lung cancer
Mesothelioma.
These diseases do not usually produce immediate symptoms, but can be crippling or even fatal in later life.

Anyone who has trouble breathing or believes they may have been exposed to asbestos in the past should visit their GP at the earliest opportunity.

Claiming compensation for asbestosis and other asbestos related diseases.
With so many people exposed to asbestos over a forty-year period, understandably there have been many asbestos compensation claims. Asbestos claims have been made by victims and by families of people who have died as a result of asbestos related diseases.

Employers today have a duty of care when it comes to protecting workers and members of the public from asbestos exposure. However, cases are still brought against employers who have put staff at risk.

When it comes to historic cases, the situation is a lot more complicated so it is essential to seek professional legal advice from a specialist in asbestos claims.
Government compensation schemes are also in place for some types of asbestos claims, and it is even possible to pursue a claim against a business that has since gone out of business as they can be restored to the Register of Companies for the purpose of starting a court action. In most cases they will probably not have any money but compensation will be paid by the insurers of the company at the time of exposure.

The amount of compensation you are entitled to following an asbestos claim will vary depending on a number of factors, including:

The type of asbestos related condition

Degree of pain and suffering.
The amount of disability the condition causes.
Various financial losses, such as loss of earnings
Care costs.

Other expenses incurred as a result of asbestos-related illness.

However there are time limits for making a claim for both state benefits and through the court system. The time limit generally for bringing court proceedings is within three years of diagnosis of an asbestos related condition.

After the three-year time limit courts still have discretion to award damages provided there is good reason for the delay.

But, the message is simple, if you are diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition and want to make an asbestos claim, act not and contact an asbestos claim specialist.

A typical asbestos claim is as follows: