Asbestos & Mesothelioma Compensation Claim Solicitors

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that, when formed into a material, insulates and resists fire, water, electricity and chemicals. That's why in the UK its three main types, blue (crocidolite), brown (amosite) and white (chrysotile) asbestos, were used in many products and buildings produced between the 1920s and 1990s.

However, if asbestos enters the human body - typically via the lungs - it has a high likelihood of causing cancer and several other health conditions. These often only appear many years after exposure (around 10 to 50 years after inhalation). 

It's due to these risks that blue and brown asbestos were banned in the UK in 1985, and white asbestos was restricted in 1992 and outlawed in 1999. The World Health Organisation now recommends no country use asbestos, though some still do.

What asbestos-related illnesses can be claimed for?

According to the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE), asbestos kills around 5,000 workers every year and many more are living with asbestos-related conditions that can form the basis of a compensation claim:

• Asbestosis - scarring of the lungs that can progressively worsen their function and that of the heart.
• Mesothelioma- a type of cancer that affects the membrane surrounding the lungs, abdomen or heart.
• Lung cancer - asbestos can also cause other cancers of the lung, including the trachea (windpipe), alveoli (air sacs), bronchioles (airway branches within the lungs), with the risk being higher if the sufferer smokes.
• Pleural plaques - non-cancerous areas of thicker tissue in the pleural membrane that surrounds the lungs.
• Diffuse pleural thickening - widespread non-cancerous thickening of the membrane covering the lungs, typically causing breathlessness.
• Pleural effusion - the collection of fluid around one or both lungs.
• Cancer of the larynx (the voice box).
• Cancer of the ovaries or testes.
• Warts or corns located where asbestos fibres have entered the skin.

Can I claim for asbestos exposure?

If you or someone close to you has received a diagnosis for an asbestos-related illness in the past three years, you may be able to claim for asbestos exposure.

Typically, the people most likely to claim for mesothelioma, asbestosis or other asbestos-related compensation are older people who worked in the building trades, such as construction, shipbuilding, plumbing or demolition. Exposure is more likely if they worked on structures built between the 1920s and 2000 - the HSE has a longer list of likely occupations. 

People close to those who were exposed, such as family members, can also develop asbestos-related conditions. This is because the asbestos fibres can stick to clothing and be brought into the home.

Lastly, it is possible to be exposed to asbestos if you were in the same environment as the material - such as living close to an asbestos factory or being present when a building with asbestos was demolished unsafely, causing fibres to enter the air.

However you may have been exposed to asbestos, and whoever's negligence is to blame for your condition, we can help. Contact our team and find out quickly whether you can make an asbestos compensation claim.

What is the average payout in the UK for asbestos claims?

The exact payout people receive in the UK for asbestos claims differs depending on the illness and the circumstances of the case. For instance, mesothelioma sufferers who can't take an organisation to court can apply for government compensation worth around £123,000. 

However, this is only one of the schemes available and if an organisation or insurer can be found, you may get a larger payout for your asbestos claim. 

Whatever your illness, situation or reason for your exposure, we will look at your claim and take into account the 15th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines. This ensures you will get fair asbestos compensation.

For instance, if you developed aggressive mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos, and your employer knew asbestos was present but didn't take the necessary safety steps, you could receive a larger payout than if you developed pleural plaques from light environmental exposure.

To get a clear idea of the likely payout you could receive as a result of your asbestos compensation claim, visit our claims calculator or get in touch with our team.

What affects eligibility for asbestos compensation?

If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition in the previous three years that wasn't their fault, you may be able to make a claim. If you're claiming on behalf of someone who has passed away, you have three years from when you discover asbestos caused their death.

It doesn't matter if you're unsure you were exposed, who was responsible for the exposure, if the company responsible is still trading, or you didn't work for them. We may be able to find who is responsible and get you the asbestos compensation you deserve. 

Once you have got in touch with our team and we think you may have an asbestos claim, a solicitor from our panel will ask you about your asbestos diagnosis, your work history, how you may have been exposed, and other questions designed to work out the circumstances of your case.

You do not need money to hand to claim for asbestos compensation either. You won't need to pay anything upfront due to our risk-free no win no fee claims process. With it, we'll let you know what the costs will be in your initial meetings. If you lose, you pay nothing. If you win, the fee will be agreed with you upfront and transparently subtracted from your asbestos, mesothelioma or asbestosis compensation.

How to make a mesothelioma claim

Making a claim for mesothelioma or another asbestos-related condition is simple: 

• Provide your details in the form at the top of the page and we'll get in contact as soon as possible.

• Contact us over the phone on 0800 587 0344. We're open seven days a week until late.
• Use our compensation calculator to see the mesothelioma or asbestosis compensation you could receive, then get in touch.

How does ClaimsPeople's asbestos claims process work?

ClaimsPeople's process is designed to minimise stress and complexity. If your solicitor thinks you have a good chance of success, they'll begin the following:

1. Your solicitor will talk to you about your asbestos-related condition, such as how it's affected your physical and mental health, when you may have been exposed to asbestos, and your work history. They may ask if you have evidence to hand, such as medical records.
2. The solicitor will then find out who is responsible. If the company is no longer trading, they will pursue their insurers for asbestos compensation.
3. If the organisation responsible admits fault, your solicitor will work out your settlement. If they fight the asbestos claim, your solicitor will negotiate and keep you firmly in the loop.
4. If you're awarded asbestos compensation, the solicitor's fee is taken from the settlement - you will be told what the fee is early on in the process, so it won't come as a shock. If you don't get compensation, you pay nothing.

How long will my asbestos claim take?

The time it takes for your asbestos claim to be resolved depends on your asbestos-related condition, how it's affected you, what caused it, and how the company responsible responds to the claim. That means it's impossible to say exactly how long your claim will take.

Whatever the circumstances, though, your team will work hard to ensure your claim is successful and you get compensation for asbestosis, mesothelioma or whichever condition you suffer from.

What happens if I lose my asbestos claim?

If your asbestos claim is unsuccessful, you won't owe anyone any fees. You could try to claim elsewhere or stop pursuing a claim altogether.

Most of our asbestos compensation claims are processed on a no win no fee basis. This is the basis of risk-free no win no fee claims, as it means the fees for our unsuccessful clients are covered. It's a way of making sure everyone unfairly affected by asbestos has a chance to get compensation.