Asbestos is a mineral used in a number of products for its fire and heat resistant properties. Unfortunately if can also cause a range of diseases in those exposed to its fibres.
Leigh Day specialises in asbestos claims for asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis. If you are suffering from an asbestos related disease it may be possible to bring an industrial disease claim. Our mesothelioma lawyers and asbestos solicitors advise people living close to factories, families of asbestos workers and the workers themselves who may have a claim for compensation against a company for failing to protect them against the dangers of asbestos.
Mesothelioma can take a long time to develop and is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos. The time between exposure to asbestos and development of mesothelioma is usually between 20 and 40 years but can be as short as 10 years, and as along as 60 or even 70 years. There is no 'safe upper limit'.
People who have worked in particular industries are more likely to have been exposed to asbestos. They include heavy industry workers and tradesmen such as plumbers and heating engineers; construction and manufacturing workers, and ship-building workers. Asbestos was banned in UK construction in the mid-1980s but it is estimated that at least 50% of all asbestos ever used in the construction of buildings in the UK is still present. As a result, many people who have worked in public buildings where asbestos was used in boiler houses and as insulation have been placed at risk. There is no restriction on who can be affected and the types of workers who have brought claims include sound engineers, nurses, caretakers and teachers.
We have brought successful mesothelioma claims for people who have worked in the following occupations and industries:
We have handled claims for wives, and other family members, who were exposed to asbestos from the clothes their husband, father, or even sons, brought home from work. We have also successfully secured compensation for people who lived close to factories, and were exposed to asbestos dust which escaped into the atmosphere.
Top asbestos and lung cancer claims specialists
Leigh Day has a team of specialist mesothelioma claims lawyers who have successfully obtained millions of pounds in compensation for people who have contracted mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos in the workplace. We only represent claimants and do not act for insurance companies. Daniel Easton, partner and head of the industrial diseases team, has been recognised as a leader in the areas of asbestos compensation claims by both major legal directories. Chambers guide to the legal profession recently described him as being considered ‘outstandingly knowledgeable’ by the Bar, and ‘compassionate’ and ‘responsive’ by clients.
If you would like to talk to one of our lawyers about a possible claim for compensation relating to asbestos, asbestosis, pleural plaques or mesothelioma please contact us on on 020 7650 1226 or 020 7650 1166 for a free initial consultation.