Asbestos Compensation Claims

Asbestos was widely used as an insulation material from the 1950's to mid 1980's.

It can take anything from 10 to 60 years after first exposure for asbestos related diseases to develop.

What is asbestos and who can claim compensation?

Asbestos is a natural mineral, mined from rock found in many countries. It is made up of tiny fibres that are as strong as steel but can be woven like cotton and are highly resistant to heat and chemicals.

It was used in a range of industries for piping, boilers, flooring, mattresses, cement, roofing and drainage. Cutting, drilling, filing, sawing, sanding, grinding and handling of asbestos materials gave rise to asbestos dust. The asbestos dust fibres were then inhaled by workers. There are still many thousands of tonnes of asbestos present in buildings today.

When asbestos is disturbed or damaged, it releases tiny fibres that can be inhaled into the lungs. This can cause inflammation, a build-up of scar tissue (fibrosis) and sometimes cancer.

What are the symptoms of asbestos related illnesses?

People exposed to the asbestos environment might suffer from breathing difficulties, i.e. breathlessness, coughs, weight loss, tiredness and loss of appetite.

It is definitely worth talking to our specialists if you have experienced any of the above and had some exposure to asbestos in the past. You might be entiltled to compensation that could make a big difference to your quality of life!

Even if a member of your family is no longer with us but died as a result of mesothelioma then you, as a dependent, may be able to claim.

Indirect exposure can also be actionable eg, washing workers overalls that have been exposed to asbestos.