Why Britain Faces An Asbestos Compensation Claims Epidemic
The UK and many other developed countries could be sitting on a time bomb of disease and death from a hidden killer thought to have been dealt with many years ago.
Reports in the British Medical Journal have pointed the finger at asbestos, saying that anything from 100,000 to 160,000 people could die over the next few years from the asbestos related cancer, mesothelioma. The cancer, which can take as long as 50 years to develop, is caused by the inhalation of asbestos. Currently, mesothelioma claims 1,800 victims in the UK each year. But doctors are warning that figure could rise to 2,000 victims a year by 2020. Professor Tom Treasure of Guy s Hospital in London presented the findings and is deeply concerned by the possibility of a new generation of mesothelioma victims.
Thousands of people were exposed to asbestos for thirty years during the 1950 s, 1960 s and 1970 s, before strict laws outlawing the use of asbestos as a building material were implemented in 1983. But this enforcement didn t mean that asbestos was removed from existing structures merely that it should no longer be used in new builds. Despite the well known risks, it was decided that spraying the asbestos with a protective coating would give the public adequate protection from its deadly effects. However, evidence proves that once this thin barrier is breached, the likelihood of exposure to asbestos dust and consequently to the possibility of developing mesothelioma increases.
The danger areas are no longer the traditional, dust coated factories where asbestos was made. The new threat comes from public buildings that still contain the material, particularly schools. Teachers and children are at risk from the silent killer: up to 13,000 schools in the UK still contain asbestos. What concerns Professor Treasure and other members of the medical community is that this constitutes a new generation of sufferers, with the number of deaths from asbestos related illnesses peaking over the next ten years. Specialist solicitors bringing compensation claims for the victims of mesothelioma also bear out his report, as more and more people seek action against those who, despite knowing about the dangers of asbestos, still exposed them to the deadly dust.
Because the disease does not manifest for at least 25 years, one of the biggest challenges facing specialist solicitors and those bringing claims for compensation is finding employers and insurers that have long since gone out of business or retired. The medical evidence for mesothelioma s link to asbestos is absolute. The real difficulty lies in apportioning blame for that exposure. Although employer s liability insurance has been compulsory for many years, the system for tracking it is complex, particularly with the time scales involved.
The very long period between exposure and development of the disease means that those seeking compensation for asbestos related mesothelioma need to draw on the services of experienced and highly trained solicitors. Without a specialist team behind them, claimants will find that the journey through the courts is a long and complicated one. By using an expert solicitor who can navigate the complexities of liability law as well as being able to call on expert medical witnesses, claims for compensation have a better chance of making it through the courts.
Compensation may offer small comfort for someone suffering from the effects of asbestos inhalation. But it is something that needs to be done if quality of life is to be insured for the last part of their life, to cover medical costs and to ensure that the spotlight does not fade away from the hidden epidemic that is about to blight many more lives.
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