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Asbestos-related diseases still growing across the East Midlands
23.04.2008
CASES OF ASBESTOS-RELATED DISEASES ‘STILL GROWING' SAYS EAST MIDLANDS LAW FIRM
Law firm Shacklocks has said it is continuing to see a rise in cases of people suffering with asbestos-related diseases seeking compensation.
Asbestos is still the greatest single cause of work-related illnesses and deaths in the UK despite restrictions on its use being introduced in 1983. People exposed to asbestos in the work place often go on to suffer from a number of asbestos related respiratory diseases including asbestosis, pleural thickening, lung cancer and Mesothelioma. In the most serious of cases the disease is fatal.
Debra Higgins, a solicitor at Shacklocks, a law firm based in the East Midlands, which acts for victims of asbestos related diseases and their families said:
“The length of time between exposure to asbestos and the occurrence of a disease like Mesothelioma can be anything from 20 to 50 years. As people worked with asbestos throughout the 1950's, 60's and 70's we are expecting to see increasing numbers of victims for at least the next ten years.”
Anyone diagnosed with an asbestos related disease and who previously worked in an environment where they came into contact with asbestos should be able to make a claim for compensation.
Debra, who is a member of the Law Society's Personal Injury Lawyers Panel, continued:
“Because the disease can lie dormant for many years, the challenge for many people when considering making a claim is trying to track down companies where they worked decades ago – many of which will have gone out of business.”
Debra stresses the importance of using lawyers experienced in industrial diseases who will be able to track down the company or its insurance company and pursue the victim's rightful compensation for wrongful exposure. She also added that many victims' families are often not aware they are able to claim even after their spouse or parent has died.
If anyone needs advice on seeking compensation for an asbestos related disease Shacklocks offers a free initial consultation.
