Compare Asbestos Compensation Claims
If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, you’ll understand what a big impact such a diagnosis can have on your life. For many people, illness caused by asbestos can mean no longer being able to work and having to find money to pay for medical treatments and travel expenses relating to hospital and doctors’ appointments. Sadly, for some, asbestos illness can ultimately take years off their life expectancy and result in untimely death.
It’s important to know that if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, you may be eligible to make a compensation claim. Asbestos claims may be made against a previous employer if you have reason to believe that exposure to asbestos occurred during the course of your employment and they were negligent. Contact us to find a specialist solicitor to handle your case and get compensation you’re entitled to.
What is asbestos?
The term ‘asbestos’ refers to a group of six naturally-occuring and highly heat-resistant silicate minerals that were commonly used in the building trade. The use of this material was completely banned in 1999. However, asbestos can still be found in many industrial and residential buildings that were built or refurbished before 2000. It can be found in many different areas of business premises and homes, including water tanks, pipe lagging, roofing felt, loose fill insulation and in sprayed coatings on ceilings and walls. Licensed contractors are the only people who should work with these materials.
Why is asbestos dangerous?
If materials that contain asbestos experience destruction or disruption, microscopic fibres can enter the surrounding air. If you breathe in these fibres, you’re at risk of developing a range of serious diseases. In most cases, you won’t notice anything right away. Instead, you’ll find that asbestos-related illness tends to develop over a long period of time. Sadly, however, once an asbestos-related disease has taken hold, it may be too late to treat.
Types of asbestos-related illnesses
There are a number of different types of illnesses that can develop as a result of exposure to asbestos, including:
- Asbestosis – a serious condition that can result in scarring of the lungs. Symptoms include breathlessness, a persistent cough, chest or shoulder pain and wheezing. Sufferers can also experience fatigue and in some cases, swollen fingertips.
- Mesothelioma – a cancer that usually affects the lining of the lungs. However, it can also develop in the lining of the abdomen, heart or testicles. Common symptoms of mesothelioma in the lungs include: pain in the chest, shortness of breath, a persistent cough, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, a fever, sweating, and clubbed fingertips.
- Lung cancer – a cancer that affects the lung itself, unlike mesothelioma which affects the lining of the lungs. Lung cancer is more likely to spread to other areas of the body, whereas mesothelioma tends to aggressively affect the lining of the lungs alone. Symptoms of lung cancer include a cough that lasts for more than 2 or 3 weeks, a long-term cough that gets worse, recurring chest infections, pain when breathing or coughing, coughing up blood, breathlessness, fatigue and lack of appetite.
Who is at risk from asbestos illnesses?
People who work in the building, maintenance or refurbishment trades are at risk of coming into contact with asbestos in the course of their work. Examples of occupations at risk include:
- Heating and ventilation engineers
- Construction workers
- Demolition workers
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Carpenters and joiners
- Roofers
- Gas fitters
- Painters and decorators
- Plasterers
- Shop fitters
- Architects
- Building surveyors
It is important to note that this is not a comprehensive list of occupations that could be exposed to asbestos. In addition, people living with workers who have operated in asbestos-contaminated environments can also be at risk as they can be exposed through fibres that have settled in clothing.
Am I entitled to make a claim for asbestos-related disease?
If you’ve been diagnosed with an illness that has developed as a result of exposure to asbestos through your work, you may be eligible to make a civil claim against a previous employer. For the best chance of winning your case, it is advisable to hire a specialist industrial diseases solicitor with knowledge and experience of asbestos compensation claims. To be awarded compensation, you will need to be able to prove that you are suffering from an asbestos-related illness and the illness was caused in the course of your work. You must also be able to prove that your employer was aware of the risk of exposure to asbestos and did not inform you of the risk, provide appropriate protective workwear or put other appropriate measures in place to protect you. If you’re not sure whether you have a case, it’s best to seek professional legal advice.
‘How much compensation will I get for an asbestos-related disease?
Asbestos compensation payments can vary. The amount you receive will usually be impacted by the condition you’ve been diagnosed with and its severity. Factors that will be taken into consideration will include any financial loss you’ve suffered as a result of not being able to work or having to pay for travel or medical bills, whether you’ve had to have chemotherapy or radiotherapy and how your quality of life has been affected. You can use our claims calculator to get an idea of how much you could be eligible for.
Find and compare asbestos compensation solicitors today
Exposure to asbestos can have life-changing and grave consequences. If you have developed an asbestos-related disease as a result of the negligence of an employer, you could be awarded compensation. With the right lawyer by your side, you stand the best chance of getting the maximum payout you’re entitled to. Compare industrial disease solicitors and start your claim today.