- Aromatic amines
- Arsenic
- Asbestos
- Benzene
- Diesel
- Perchloroethylene (dry cleaning chemicals)
English
Partner, Head of Industrial Disease
To claim compensation for work related cancer, it must be proven that your employer negligently exposed you to a known carcinogen (substance which can cause cancer) such as toxic chemicals or asbestos dust and fibres.
Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, the responsibility is squarely on employers to prevent members of staff from being exposed to hazardous substances in the workplace.
But if, for example, you weren’t told that your job would expose you to a cancer-causing substance, or adequate safety measures weren’t put in place to keep you free from harm, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.
Of course, there’s no single cause of cancer, and cancer can often be the result of genetic, lifestyle or environmental factors. This argument may well be used by some employers as soon as they’re asked to pay compensation, so it’s vital that you work with Industrial Disease Solicitors who can help you prove that your working conditions led to your cancer.
Our Industrial Disease Solicitors are experts in work related cancer claims and offer free legal advice. We may be able to deal with your claim on a No Win, No Fee basis, and may be able to visit you at home or in hospital (in England or Wales) - ask us for details.
We're rated‘Excellent’People working in a wide variety of sectors can be exposed to one or more carcinogens on a regular basis. These can include:
The COSHH (The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations are designed to protect workers from being exposed to hazardous substances such as those listed above during the course of their work.
Under the law in England and Wales, employers must carry out adequate risk assessments, and if harmful substances are identified, take steps to monitor and restrict an employees’ exposure, and put preventative measures in place. If the use of a substance can’t be reduced, employees should be provided with personal protective equipment.
Employees working in close proximity to known carcinogens should also be made aware of any potential hazards in the workplace and what safety procedures they can follow.
The above list of carcinogens covers many of the most common cancer causing substances in workplaces in the UK, but is by no means exhaustive. So if you believe another substance is responsible for your work-related cancer, you don’t have anything to lose by seeking free legal advice from an Industrial Disease Solicitor on claiming compensation.
A compensation claim for work related cancer must be issued within 3 years of the date when you were first diagnosed with cancer and told that your work was probably the cause. If you’re making a claim on behalf of a relative who has died, you must make a claim within 3 years of the date of their death.
While establishing the cause of a particular cancer isn’t always easy, there are various types which are known to be linked to exposure to carcinogens in the workplace.
Our Industrial Disease Solicitors secured £113,000 mesothelioma compensation in six months for a client, another case settled for £200,000 compensation in 12 months, but some mesothelioma cases can take several years to conclude.
No, an employer (in England or Wales) can’t sack you for making an industrial disease claim. If you’ve been diagnosed with an industrial disease such as work related asthma or Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome, and believe your employer didn’t do enough to keep you safe, then you have the right to claim compensation.
In many successful Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) claims, there are lots of common features. Employers perhaps didn’t put safety measures in place to protect staff who regularly use vibrating equipment, provide adequate training or act on concerns that employees had raised.
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