Asbestos and industrial diseases

Asbestos-related diseases affect thousands of people and their loved ones every year. Diagnoses often occur decades after the initial exposure but you might still be able to make a claim.

Being diagnosed with one of these illnesses may come as a shock, as these diseases can take many years to develop after the initial exposure to asbestos. 

The team of expert asbestos solicitors at Leigh Day specialise in bringing claims on behalf of people who have been exposed to asbestos in many walks of life. They are experts at identifying where any exposure took place and getting the right level of compensation for those affected.

Talk to us today by calling freephone 0800 689 5854.

Thousands of people are diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases annually. There are currently more than 5,000 deaths from asbestos-related diseases in the UK per year, including from mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

Being diagnosed with one of these illnesses may come as a shock, as these diseases can take many years to develop after the initial exposure to asbestos.

The team of expert asbestos solicitors at Leigh Day specialise in bringing claims on behalf of people who have been exposed to asbestos in many walks of life. They are experts at identifying where any exposure took place and getting the right level of compensation for those affected.

Which asbestos-related diseases can you claim for?

Exposure to asbestos has been linked to a range of diseases including:

• Pleural thickening – a lung disease in which extensive scarring thickens the lining of the lungs.
• Asbestosis – long-term inflammation and scarring of the lungs due to prolonged exposure to asbestos fibres.
• Lung cancer – caused by inhaling asbestos fibres, this type of cancer develops in the lung.
• Mesothelioma – a cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs (known as the mesothelium).

Asbestos diseases can take a long time to develop. The time between exposure to asbestos and development of a disease is at least 10 years (typically between 30 and 40 years), but there is no upper limit.

Human rights and asbestos

As well as helping you to bring a claim for compensation if you have been exposed to asbestos, the legal team at Leigh Day works closely with asbestos support groups and charities including the Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum UK who represent all support groups in the UK. This includes looking at the human rights aspects of mesothelioma and asbestos disease claims, an aspect of our work that we believe is unique amongst law firms.

We believe that these cases have helped to preserve the rights of people suffering with asbestos-related diseases and will continue to protect future claimants for many years.

Asbestos claimants outside England and Wales

Asbestos diseases can take many years to develop, often after people have moved permanently abroad. Leigh Day’s asbestos team specialise in successfully making claims for those exposed to asbestos in the UK who now live outside of the UK.

We use the latest technology to stay in touch. We have even run trials in the High Court using video-links. We will work with a specialist lawyer in your country, so you have someone local you can contact and who can help us obtain information easily.

To contact the team to discuss a potential 'no win no fee' case, without obligation, from outside the UK please call +44 20 3780 0384 or complete our short enquiry form.

If you are a lawyer outside of the UK and want to work with us, we help you investigate claims in the UK by identifying defendant employers and insurance companies.  We can help you to get expert medical evidence and advise on English quantum rules.

Making a claim for an asbestos-related disease

If you’ve been exposed to asbestos, suffered from a related disease and believe you have a strong claim, contact the team of asbestos lawyers at Leigh Day.

They’ll listen to your case with a free consultation and assess the strength of your claim, advising you on the best next steps to take.

You can also make asbestos claims after death for someone else when you are appointed as a ‘litigation friend’.

To strengthen any asbestos, asbestosis or mesothelioma claims, you may need to gather supporting evidence for your case. This can include medical records, documents, witness statements, work and financial records.

How long do I have to bring asbestos claims?

In an industrial disease case, you can bring a legal claim within a three-year ‘limitation period’. This typically starts from the date of diagnosis, but it may be earlier if you have already identified a connection between your symptoms and the cause.

For asbestos claims after death, the three year period typically runs from the date of death.

In all circumstances, it’s advisable to seek legal advice as soon as possible. Sometimes it’s possible to ask the court to let your claim proceed despite the fact that it is over three years since you were diagnosed. Leigh Day has experience bringing cases ‘out of time’.

Asbestos-related disease compensation

The amount of compensation you could receive will depend on your circumstances, including how any related diseases have affected your quality of life, emotional distress, pain and suffering and any financial expenses it has incurred.

Asbestos compensation after death can be used to cover the financial losses a dependent experiences.

Our successful team of asbestos solicitors have settled many cases for individuals who have developed asbestos related-diseases due to exposure in the workplace.

Useful links

• Asbestos Victims Support Group UK
• British Lung Foundation
• Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
• Department for Work and Pensions
• Health and Safety Executive
• London Hazards Centre
• Macmillan
• Marie Curie Cancer Care
• Mesothelioma UK
• Lung Cancer Nursing UK
• Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation