There are five main asbestos conditions that can affect those who have been exposed to asbestos fibres or dust. They are;
– Mesothelioma
– Asbestos Related Lung Cancer
– Asbestosis
– Pleural Thickening
– Pleural Plaques
Of these conditions, two are cancerous – Mesothelioma and Asbestos Related Lung Cancer. Asbestosis, Pleural Thickening and Pleural Plaques are not cancerous.
Most people have heard of asbestosis, not least because it is often wrongly used as a generic term for all asbestos diseases and illnesses. Some may have heard of Pleural Plaques, which is the least serious of all the asbestos conditions and for which it is no longer possible to claim compensation for, following a decision by the House of Lords in 2007. Pleural Plaques is the most common of all the asbestos conditions. However Pleural Thickening is sometimes overlooked (perhaps because some people think that it is the same condition as Pleural Plaques). It is not.
What, Then, is Pleural Thickening?
Pleural Thickening is a condition that can be caused as a result of inhaling asbestos dust and fibres. It is also known as Diffuse Pleural Thickening (DPT). It is diffuse because it consists of scarring that cover a larger section of the pleural membrane between the lungs and the chest wall than Pleural Plaques does i.e. it is more widespread across the pleural membrane, whereas Pleural Plaques are limited in their extent to one specific area although there may be more than one area of the pleural membrane where they appear.
Diffuse Pleural Thickening occurs when extensive, usually smooth scarring, thickens the pleural membrane lining.
Asbestos exposure is not the only cause of Pleural Thickening. Other causes are;
– Inflammatory disease
– Infection
– Empyema, which occurs when mucus builds up in the pleural cavity (the space between the chest wall and the lung)
– Chronic pneumonia
– Hemothorax (accumulation of blood in the pleural cavity)
However, the most common cause of Pleural Thickening is caused by exposure to asbestos.
Symptoms of Pleural Thickening
Pleural Thickening is a progressive illness, meaning that it gets worse over time. Indeed, initially there may be few symptoms. Early treatment is advisable but without symptoms manifesting themselves, that is not likely to happen in many cases. As the illness progresses it causes the person suffering form the illness to experience increasing episodes of shortness of breath. This is due to the thickening of the pleural membrane. If the illness is caught early enough, respiratory physiotherapy may be offered to ease the symptoms and similarly, medication can be available to make breathing easier and reduce inflammation.
If the condition becomes advanced it will close off any gap between the pleura meaning that the lung becomes completely encased. This causes a decreased lung function causing the sufferer severe breathing difficulties. The progression of the illness means that it can become so severe that it becomes fatal.
Pleural Thickening and Mesothelioma
The presence of Pleural Thickening can be a sign of significant asbestos exposure. As a consequence, Pleural Thickening in some instances can be caused by the onset of mesothelioma. For that reason, early screening for someone who has been diagnosed with Pleural Thickening is advised, because of the possibility that mesothelioma is starting to develop. Mesothelioma is difficult to treat at any stage, but if it is diagnosed at an early stage, there are chances that early treatment may be successful to the extent of being able to relieve symptoms and slowing down the progression of the disease and damage to the pleura. However, reversing the damage will not be possible.
Claiming Compensation for Pleural Thickening Caused by Exposure to Asbestos
Those diagnosed with Pleural Thickening where the cause of the illness has been established as being exposure to asbestos may be entitled to make a claim for asbestos disease compensation and indeed, they should consider this as a serious option. Pleural Thickening is a seriously disabling and progressive illness and the earlier that a compensation claim is made the better. Although any damages that are recovered cannot reverse the illness or make a person better, the financial relief that compensation brings can help remove some of financial worries for the person suffering from Pleural Thickening as well as their family.
Most people whose Pleural Thickening has been caused by asbestos exposure will have inhaled the asbestos fibres whilst working in an occupation where they were regularly exposed to asbestos. Alternatively, they may have suffered exposure as a result of a family member unwittingly bringing home the fibres on their work clothes.
As employers have a duty to protect their employees from being exposed to hazardous substances such as asbestos, where they fail in that duty, and an employee gets an illness such as Pleural Thickening, they are likely to be found liable to pay the affected employee compensation. Historic asbestos exposure cases were invariably exacerbated by the fact that employees were not provided with any, or any adequate form of protection, such as facial masks.
As with all asbestos disease claims a claim for Pleural Thickening generally needs to be made within 3 years of diagnosis of the illness.
Find an Experienced Asbestos Disease Solicitor to Help You Bring a Claim
Asbestos disease compensation claims are not always straightforward. From exposure to asbestos through to diagnosis of an asbestos illness, can take anything between 20 and 50 years. For that reason, by the time someone has been diagnosed with an illness such as Pleural Thickening, the company permitted their exposure to asbestos to happen, may have changed name, merged with another company or even no longer exist.
Even if the company no longer exists, it is still often possible for an experienced Pleural Thickening compensation solicitor to trace the insurers of the company all those years ago and still bring a successful compensation claim on behalf of their client. An experienced asbestos compensation solicitor may well have brought similar claims for other clients against that same company and their insurers. Alternatively, specialist asbestos solicitors maintain extensive records of companies and their insurers, even for those companies that no longer exist.
Most specialist asbestos lawyers will agree to undertake asbestos compensation claims on a No Win, No Fee basis and some will not even charge a success fee if your claim succeeds. To find out more, why not call the asbestos disease compensation team at Bridge McFarland solicitors. Bridge McFarland have offices all over Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, but their reputation as outstanding asbestos disease solicitors means that they act for asbestos disease clients all over England and Wales.
If you have recently been diagnosed with Pleural Thickening or any other asbestos related condition call them now on 01482 320620.
