According to the Health and Safety Executive, asbestos remains one of the biggest contributors to workplace-related deaths in the UK. Even today, people remain unaware of the fact that it can be years after contact with asbestos before any symptoms make themselves known. It is not uncommon for employees to have worked for several employers over their adult life that have allowed them to work in environments leading to exposure to harmful dust.
Given the potentially long time it can take for the effects of asbestos to reveal themselves, the businesses a potential sufferer may have once worked for might no longer exist, and the insurance records might not either. If the former employers who are potentially liable for an individual’s exposure to asbestos can’t be traced, those affected most can be denied full compensation; each employer only has to compensate for their own part in allowing conditions where employees have been harmed.
You can read more about the dangers of asbestos on the HSE’s website here:
As of 2006, Parliament passed the Compensation Act. This allows those affected by mesothelioma to receive full compensation, even if former employers can’t be found. At this time, lung cancer claims were not considered, and the judiciary has since stated that mesothelioma and lung cancer cannot be distinguished legally. Now, industrial disease experts are declaring that this inconsistency must be addressed and that the well-being of asbestos-related cancer sufferers must be considered.
Many industrial disease experts agree that the reason for treating mesothelioma sufferers and those affected by asbestos-related lung cancer differently is hard to justify due to the fact the symptoms are alike. The two are also related so far as the cause (through negligent exposure) is the same, as well as the prognosis. Regrettably, only a small amount of deaths caused by either disease results in a compensation claim for cancer.
Asbestos-Related Diseases – Still UK’s Number One Workplace Killer
Sufferers of mesothelioma need only find one negligent former employer to claim full compensation – the responsible insurer then carries out the search for the others so that money may be recovered. We at Bridge McFarland believe victims of asbestos-related lung cancer deserve the same.
Regardless of its ban in 1999, asbestos still causes around 5000 deaths every year in England and Wales. The UK has one of the highest rates for mesothelioma rates in the world and given that nearly 1,000,000 domestic (and around 3000,000 non-domestic) buildings still contain asbestos, it is easy to see why.
Asbestos-related diseases remain even now the number one cause of death in UK workplaces. Campaigners are still actively pleading with governments and employers to do more to protect employees and the public at large. You can read some of our previous articles on this topic:
- Scientists Develop Breakthrough Treatment of Asbestos Linked Cancer
- Protecting Workers from Asbestos Exposure – EU Council Legislation
- Parliamentary Debate About Asbestos
To read APIL’s full story and statement, click here:
Change needed for Workers with Asbestos Cancer.
Compensation for Asbestos Exposure
We at Asbestos Awareness are dedicated to sharing vital information and highlighting the consequences of asbestos exposure. After being exposed to asbestos, a person can be at considerable risk of contracting an asbestos-related disease, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer. If you have been informed that you are suffering from such a disease, it is crucial to seek out the necessary legal advice to ensure you receive the compensation you are rightfully owed.
Our site is owned and managed by Bridge McFarland, a UK-based law firm with a leading personal injury department dedicated to supporting clients in claiming compensation owed as a result of an asbestos-related disease diagnosis.
To speak to our experienced personal injury solicitors today, please call 0800 987 8800 or email enquiries@bmcf.co.uk.
