Mesothelioma Illness
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of
the lungs, and associated almost exclusively with exposure to asbestos.
Just one fibre is enough to cause the disease.
If you have been exposed to asbestos during your life and been diagnosed with Mesothelioma
you may be able to
claim compensation for your illness. Talk to our experts and find out how
they can help you and your family today.
Key Mesothelioma Information:
Call us now on 0800 634 1632
Email us using our Online Enquiry Form
Exposure to asbestos
A long "lag time" between exposure to asbestos and the development
of mesothelioma can apply, varying from a minimum of about
10 years upwards, the average interval falling in the order of 30 to
40 years.
Cases of mesothelioma in the UK appear most prominently
in those individuals who previously worked in ship building, construction
and railway engineering (which used significant amounts of asbestos)
and asbestos product manufacturing industries.
Who, Where, When and How
Government statistics show that the areas with the highest
mesothelioma incidences in the UK include:
- West Dumbartonshire
- Barrow-in-Furness
- Plymouth
- Portsmouth, and
- South Tyneside
This is due to the association and past exposure
to asbestos in ship building. Other areas with high overall rates
generally associated with past asbestos exposure are those close
to or containing railway engineering sites, including:
- Eastleigh
- Crewe
- Nantwich
- as well as factories that made asbestos products, such as Barking, Dagenham and
Newham
Our client was diagnosed as suffering from mesothelioma and instructed us to pursue
a claim for damages as a result of his exposure to asbestos during his working life.
He worked for a company who were engaged in the manufacture of boilers and asbestos
lagging was used as an insulating material when the boilers were assembled in the
fabrication shop. The asbestos lagging was cut to size generating asbestos dust
and it was part of our client's job to sweep up the off cuts in this area and to
handle the asbestos lagging to include also the woven asbestos blankets used when
undertaking welding work and the asbestos gloves.
After a full medical report was undertaken from our consultant chest physician and
contact was made with the company's insurers a swift settlement offer of £190,000
was received.
An increasing proportion of cases include diagnosis of individuals
who may have had less intense exposure such as the building
industry (carpenters, electricians, demolition workers etc) and people
who have worked in buildings where the use of or disruption of asbestos materials
occurs.
This area now represents the majority of new cases, therefore,
a large number of people who are at risk of the disease may be
unaware of their exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma can also affect family members who
have come into contact with asbestos fibres eg handling of clothing worn at
work. This is known as secondary exposure and is becoming a common
cause of mesothelioma in individuals.
Men are considered at a higher risk of for mesothelioma
due to the direct exposure from the at-risk occupations, although
it is believed that the 15% of female cases are for the most part
due to secondary, passive exposure eg by washing the clothing of
their husbands or close relatives who worked in asbestos industries.
Call our helpline today on 0800 634 1632 or use our free, no obligation,
online enquiry form to register for a call back.
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