Mesothelioma Solicitors
It is estimated that as many as 4000 people are diagnosed with an asbestos related disease in the UK each year. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost exclusively a result of asbestos exposure and with a long latency period it may have been up to 50 years previously when the exposure took place before symptoms appear. The fire retardant nature of asbestos has been known for thousands of years so became widely used around the home and extensively in factories. However the dangers of asbestos is more recently documented, since the early 1960s it became a concern that exposure was often a fatal experience with many thousands affected. As the death toll rose the UK government responded and in 1969 there was a formal statement highlighting the dangers to workers.
The Health and Safety Executive has been actively working to reduce the use of asbestos and eventually ban it in the UK and is now dealt with under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. In the workplace some employers chose to ignore asbestos safety guidelines which put their workers at risk of developing conditions such as the Mesothelioma, Asbestos related Lung Cancer, Asbestos, Pleural Thickening and Pleural Plaques.
Mesothelioma ‘Hot Spots’ There are a number of hotspots in England that have high incidents of mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases and include:
Rochdale, where the Turner Brothers asbestos factory was located. Armley-Leeds at the site of the JW Roberts asbestos factory. Hebden Bridge the Cape Insulation factory was based. Shipbuilding is an industry that used asbestos extensively in such locations as:
Barrow in Furness Plymouth Portsmouth Bristol Newcastle Hartlepool Liverpool Southampton Sunderland – has double the national average of Mesothelioma Cases Other industries that were reliant on using Asbestos were railway rolling stock manafacturers, in the following areas:
York Derby Crewe Swindon Birmingham Although these locations have a particularly high incidence of mesothelioma the condition is widespread.
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is an asbestos related disease and there are two types of the condition
Diffuse Pleural Mesothelioma which affects the wall of the lungs and symptoms may include chest pain, fluid on lung, shortness of breath, fatigue and blood in sputum.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma which affects the abdomen and symptoms may include weight loss, abdominal pain, fever and swallowing difficulty
Confirmation of the condition is often following the result of a medical scan and the prognosis is dependent on each case and at what stage the disease is found. In all but a handful of cases mesothelioma is terminal within 7-9 months of diagnosis.
Mesothelioma Claims
Following diagnosis of Mesothelioma there are many questions that a sufferer and their family need to know and we can help with this.
We have many years of experience supporting families with legal advice for industrial disease claims.
Experience has shown us the depth of how mesothelioma affects families and we are sympathetic and protective in our approach. When questions need to be asked and answers found we do not waiver.
Iain Oliver and David Hatton have successfully helped clients and their families claim damages following the diagnosis of mesothelioma.
In the latter stages of the disease it is likely that hospice care is necessary.
The hospice providing the care may be entitled to recover costs of this care from the employer’s liability insurer if a successful compensation claim is brought by the sufferer or his family.
Our industrial injuries team are happy to ensure that hospices costs are included in compensation claims.
Although the compensation awarded will not bring loved ones back it is important that victims feel that their loved ones will be cared for in the future.
Click here to contact us today or call 0113 284 5000.
Useful Websites:
- British Lung Foundation on Mesothelioma
- Macmillan Cancer Support
- Justice for Mesothelioma Vicitms
- Armley (Leeds) Asbestos Disaster
- Mesothelioma UK Charity
- Mesothelioma Research Fund
- Mortality Rates for Mesothelioma
