Asbestos Compensation

Asbestosis is a lung disease which is caused by exposure to asbestos. It usually takes a long time for the symptoms to start to show, but it can cause breathlessness, tiredness and coughing. Unfortunately, there’s no cure, and the symptoms can sometimes hold you back in your day-to-day life. If you’re suffering from asbestosis, then you may need ongoing treatment or monitoring to keep your condition under control. On top of this, you might also have had to give up your hobbies or find a new job, and this can affect your mental wellbeing as well as your finances.

An expert injury solicitor can help you claim compensation to cover the costs of your condition so far, as well as the impact it will continue to have in the future. You can talk to a legal adviser for free on 0800 234 6438, or fill in the contact form on this page to arrange a call back.

Although starting a claim for asbestosis might seem like an added stress, the compensation you receive can help to take away some of the pressure caused by your condition. You may have had to take time off work or find a new job altogether which can leave you with reduced income. Also, because asbestosis can sometimes lead to other serious conditions, you may also have needed to pay for expensive medical treatment.

Your solicitor will take all the impacts of your condition into consideration when negotiating your compensation – this includes any future expenses which you might come up against.

You’ll also be compensated for any hobbies or social events you’ve missed out on, as well as the pain and suffering your illness has caused you.

Asbestos was often used as a building material between the 1930s and 1970s. Because of its strength and heat resistance, it’s commonly found in roofing and ceilings.It’s safe when undisturbed, but if it’s moved then the dangerous fibres in the dust can stick to the lungs when inhaled, leading to scarring (or ‘fibrosis’). This is what causes asbestosis later in life. Construction and demolition workers are at particularly high risk of the harmful effects of asbestos. But in some cases, the fibres stick to clothing or equipment, which can put friends and family members at risk too.

The dangers of asbestos have been known for more than fifty years, so your employer should have taken safety measures to make sure you’re not exposed to harmful asbestos dust.

If your employer failed to follow health and safety rules – such as providing you with the proper protective safety equipment and training – and you’ve suffered from asbestosis as a result, then it’s likely you could make a compensation claim.

Because of the amount of time it takes for the symptoms of asbestosis to show, the company you worked for might now have gone out of business. If this applies to you, you can still help to claim compensation.

In these cases, your compensation will be paid by the insurance company your employer was using at the time. Or, it can sometimes be paid through the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979.

As well as causing permanent symptoms, asbestosis can also put you at greater risk of developing lung cancer and mesothelioma (cancer of the tissue in the lungs).

If you or a loved one has received a cancer diagnosis because of your exposure to asbestos, then we know how devastating this can be. Nobody deserves to suffer because they were unknowingly exposed to a dangerous material.

A professional solicitor can help you make a serious injury claim to cover the costs of your treatment and prescriptions, as well as any other support you’ll need as a result of your condition.

You might be feeling unsure whether you’re ready to start a claim, or you might want clarity on whether you could be eligible for compensation. A specialist legal adviser can help – you can speak to one for free on 0800 234 6438.

When you call them, they’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have about claiming. They’ll listen to everything you say about your asbestosis and how it’s affected you, and will then be able to let you know whether they think you could claim.

If you decide you don’t want to take it any further just yet, that’s fine – your legal adviser will never rush you into starting a case. But if you would like to go ahead, they’ll choose the right specialist solicitor and can usually put you in touch with them straight away.

Our partner solicitors work on a no win no fee basis, which means your claim with them will be risk-free. Quite simply, if you don’t win your case then you won’t have to pay your solicitors fees, so there’s no risk of being left out of pocket.