Compare Mesothelioma Compensation
If you or a loved one is suffering from mesothelioma, you will know just how much strain this illness can put on you and your family. From the physical, mental and emotional stress this illness can place on your body to the cost of paying for specialist treatment and care, the impact of mesothelioma can be devastating. However, the money received from a successful mesothelioma compensation claim could give you the opportunity to comfortably afford the level of care you need going forward, giving you one less thing to worry about. If you are one of the 2,600+ people who are diagnosed with this devastating disease in the UK each year, it’s important to remember that you may be entitled to claim compensation. Here at Compare Compensation Claims, we can help you compare personal injury solicitors quickly and easily, allowing you to find the legal advice you need to take your case forward.
What is mesothelioma?
Linked to prolonged exposure to asbestos, mesothelioma is a form of cancer that attacks the lining of your lungs. It can also affect the lining of your abdomen or your heart. Symptoms include shortness of breath, a persistent cough, extreme fatigue, chest pain, high temperatures and sweating at night, swollen fingers and a sudden drastic loss of weight. It is believed that almost 100 per cent of mesothelioma cases occur in patients who have been exposed to asbestos over a prolonged period of time. This is because the tiny fibres found in the material can be easily inhaled before traveling to your lungs where they lodge themselves. Over time, typically after more than 20 years, these fibres break down and cause mesothelioma to develop. Unfortunately, asbestos was incredibly common on construction sites and in factories throughout the second half of the 20th century, and was only banned in the UK in 1999. This means hundreds of thousands of people have been exposed to the dangerous material on a regular basis.
Who can make mesothelioma claims?
Anyone who is suffering from mesothelioma and can prove they were exposed to asbestos as part of their working life may be entitled to make a compensation claim. In order to be successful and receive a payout, you will need to be able to link your direct exposure to asbestos at work with your cancer. This allegation must be backed by evidence – such as employment details and proof of the presence of asbestos – as a final decision will be made ‘on the balance of probabilities’. This means the stronger evidence you have, the more likely you are to win the compensation you deserve. Additionally, with the help of your specialist solicitor, you must show that your employer was negligent when it came to meeting the safety standards required by law or that they were actively breaching specific safety rules. At this stage, it could be worth researching to see if other former employees have made similar claims and whether or not they were successful. It’s also important to note that it is possible to make a mesothelioma claim if you were unlawfully exposed to asbestos even while not working. If you lived close to a factory that regularly used asbestos, for example, you may be entitled to take legal action. Regardless of how and where your exposure to asbestos occurred, it’s vital to note that in order to make a successful claim, you must start legal proceedings within three years of your first mesothelioma diagnosis.
Can I claim on behalf of a deceased loved one?
If a loved one passed away as a result of mesothelioma, it is possible to make a claim on their behalf providing you can prove you were financially dependent on them. These claims are typically made by the spouse or child of someone who has sadly lost their life due to asbestos exposure. Again, in order to make a claim of this type, you must start legal proceedings within three years of the point at which exposure to asbestos is revealed as your loved one’s official cause of death. Getting in touch with a solicitor should be your first step when you decide to make a claim. A specialist solicitor will be able to tell you if you have a claim and they’ll be able to start to build a winning case using the evidence you provide. Here at Compare Compensation Claims, we can help you find a specialist lawyer to take your case forward.
How much can I claim following a mesothelioma diagnosis?
When it comes to how much you can actually claim in compensation, there are no set limits and your claim amount will depend on your own unique set of circumstances and the strength of your evidence. Your solicitor will assess a number of variables and they will determine how much your claim could be worth. These include:
- Any loss of earnings you and your family have incurred
- Any major lifestyle changes caused by the injury
- Any ongoing private medical bills incurred as a result of your treatment
- Any other expenses such as travel costs and care costs.
While we cannot offer an exact figure relating to the amount a successful claim might bring, our useful Personal Injury Claims Calculator tool may be able to give you a rough idea of the size of the claim you could be looking at. This clever calculator uses Judicial College Guidelines to provide a guideline estimate of the sum you might be entitled to.
How we can help
If you or a loved one is suffering from mesothelioma as a result of someone else’s negligence, Compare Compensation Claims can help. We will find you the best claims company to manage your case and a specialist solicitor dedicated to getting you the compensation you deserve. Use our simple comparison tools to get the process started today.