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Our expert industrial disease lawyers can help you if you have been exposed to asbestos and suffer as a result. Have you been diagnosed with or think you may be suffering from mesothelioma, asbestosis, asthma or any other lung disease? Call us now for free initial advice on 0203 816 0065 or complete our online enquiry form and a member of the team will contact you directly.
We have a variety of funding options available, including no win, no fee.
Our solicitors recognise that many people are anxious about what is involved in bringing a claim for compensation. Our highly specialised, experienced and dedicated team of lawyers are focussed on making the process as simple and easy to understand as possible.
Alan Woodfinden's working life started when he was only 15 years old, and for the majority of his career he worked in the building industry. Later in life Alan was experiencing breathing difficulties and after consulting with medical professionals was diagnosed with the condition asbestosis.
In this video Alan shares his experience and talks about how he found working with the industrial disease specialists at Stephensons to pursue a claim for compensation. Specialist solicitor Clare Gammond talks about the process of making a claim for compensation following the diagnosis of an industrial disease as well as sharing her pride at being able to help people like Alan achieve justice and a successful outcome.
"When I spoke to Clare, I didn't feel like I was speaking to a solicitor, it felt more like my daughter. She did very well, the figure that we got was better than we expected, and it'll go a long way towards taking it easy. Stephensons dealt with me very, very nicely. I couldn't praise them more." - Alan Woodfinden
"Working for Alan was a pleasure. It's an extremely rewarding job to know that you've helped that person provide for their future. Hopefully Alan can now enjoy his retirement in a bit more comfort than would have otherwise been the case." - Clare Gammond - Industrial Disease Solicitor
The UK unfortunately has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma, rare form of cancer, in the world. Asbestos exposure can affect people in many trades including; boilermakers and welders; electricians; joiners, carpenters and builders; mechanics; plumbers.
Most people assume that those who are at risk are limited to the above list. In actual fact, some of the highest numbers of deaths from asbestos are also amongst doctors and teachers. A majority of the ageing school stock has asbestos in the walls and it can be released by a simple drawing pin in the wall.
People have also become exposed just by washing a family member’s clothes, which hide asbestos fibres, or living near a factory where asbestos was regularly used. These people are also eligible for compensation.
You can still claim compensation for your suffering, even if the business you used to work at has gone into administration or the site has been demolished. It’s important you contact us here at Stephensons as soon as you can, so that we can pursue a claim on your behalf through the insurance company associated with your employer at the time of exposure.
You can feel that your injuries are relatively minor at the moment but they can develop into more serious asbestos related diseases in the future. It may take five to 20 years before serious symptoms develop following asbestos exposure.
Call us now on 0203 816 0065 or complete our online enquiry form, we have a proven track record in claiming compensation for those who have become to suffer from asbestos exposure. We have a variety of flexible funding options available, as well as no win, no fee.
Our industrial disease solicitors have extensive experience in handling asbestosis compensation claims and can help you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with asbestosis, contact our expert solicitors and get your asbestosis compensation claim underway. Initial advice is free and claims can be handled on a no win, no fee basis, call us 0203 816 0065 for more information.
Asbestosis is not the same as mesothelioma, there are a few distinct differences. The main one being that asbestosis is not a form of cancer, but rather a chronic respiratory disease that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Once inhaled asbestos fibres cause lung scarring and eventual stiffness of the lungs, which prevents the sufferer from taking in deep breaths due to the fact lungs lose their elasticity.
Although asbestosis is not a cancer, studies have shown that patients are far more likely to develop lung cancer and mesothelioma as a result. There are a myriad of long term complications associated with asbestosis and unfortunately there is no cure.
Asbestosis has been known to affect people in the following types of employment:
Asbestosis has also been known to affect people who have not worked around asbestos. People who have developed asbestosis through exposure to fibres by washing a family member’s clothes and those who have lived near a factory where asbestos was regularly used are also entitled to claim compensation.
Due to our work with asbestosis sufferers and the asbestos compensation claims our solicitors have handled we are aware of the majority of symptoms asbestosis carries with it. We would always recommend you seek professional medical advice, but the following symptoms can be used as a guide.
Patients may feel or suffer from:
Unfortunately there is no cure for asbestosis, as it is impossible to repair or reverse the effect asbestos fibres have on the lungs.
There are oxygen therapy treatments which will benefit those who have a severe case of asbestosis and sometimes a small portable oxygen tank will be supplied for those who have trouble breathing, for use when leaving the home.
It is strongly advised that you do not smoke as this will exacerbate the symptoms of asbestosis.
Due to the severe nature of asbestosis, it is vital that you have a team of solicitors fighting for your right to compensation to ensure you have access to any and all treatments that you may need.
If the employer responsible for your exposure to asbestosis has ceased operations or gone out of business, you can still claim compensation for your injuries. It’s important you contact the expert solicitors at Stephensons as soon as possible so we can pursue a claim on your behalf by claiming through the insurance company associated with your employer at the time of exposure.
Whether you feel your injuries are relatively minor or otherwise, contact our asbestosis compensation claim solicitors as soon as possible. We can help you claim the compensation you deserve to help you get the treatment and care you need. In addition, it is also possible for us to reserve extra funds in the event that you develop more serious asbestos related diseases in the future.
We will help prove that you were exposed to asbestos due to someone else’s negligence and pursue a compensation claim on your behalf, supporting and guiding you through the entire process.
If you have worked with asbestos directly or have been exposed to it indirectly and have developed asbestosis as result, you can claim compensation.
Call us immediately, our industrial disease solicitors have a proven track record in claiming compensation for those who have developed asbestosis and understand how important it is to pursue a claim for yourself and for your family.
We fight for the maximum amount of compensation at all times and offer our services on a no win, no fee basis.
All it takes to start your claim is a conversation with one of our expert asbestosis and mesothelioma compensation claim solicitors, where you will be provided with some free initial no obligation legal advice. Call us on 0203 816 0065 or complete our online enquiry form and get the compensation you deserve.
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Mesothelioma is a life threatening disease brought about by interaction and exposure to asbestos. If you have been working with asbestos and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma as a result, you could be entitled to claim compensation. For free initial advice and to discuss your potential mesothelioma claim call our team on 0203 816 0065.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer directly caused by exposure to asbestos and usually affects the lungs, the heart or the abdomen. Mesothelioma gets its name from the fact it affects the mesothelial cells which cover the outer surface of the body’s internal organs. Medical professionals will investigate as to whether chemotherapy, surgery or radiotherapy is worthwhile as often after diagnosis, victims may only have a short time to live, Unfortunately there is no cure for mesothelioma and it is considered a terminal illness.
There are two types of mesothelioma, known as:
Pleural mesothelioma - caused by inhaling asbestos fibres into the lungs which causes tumours on the lining (pleura) of the lungs.
Peritoneal mesothelioma - also caused by exposure to asbestos, this type of mesothelioma causes tumours to develop on the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum).
Asbestosis or mesothelioma has been known to affect people previously working in the following types of employment:
However, asbestosis and mesothelioma has been known to affect people who have come into contact with clothes covered in asbestos dust and fibres. The simple act of washing someone’s clothes after they have been in contact with asbestos has been known to cause mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is known to develop between 15 and 40 years after exposure to asbestos and causes symptoms such as pains in the lower back, chest or abdomen, persistent coughs, breathing difficulty and swelling of the abdomen. If you have been exposed or have had to work with asbestos in the past and are suffering from any of these symptoms it is vital you visit your GP.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis, it’s imperative you act now to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Our industrial disease solicitors have a proven track record in obtaining compensation for clients who have developed mesothelioma through working with asbestos.
If the employer is no longer in existence, it could still be possible to trace the insurers and obtain compensation, if this avenue is unsuccessful it may still be possible to pursue a claim under one of a number of government schemes that compensates sufferers or their relatives.
All it takes to start your claim is a conversation with one of our expert mesothelioma solicitors, where you will be provided with some free initial no obligation legal advice, call us on 0203 816 0065 or complete our online enquiry form and a member of the team will contact you directly.
You may be able to receive financial assistance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if you have been diagnosed with an industrial disease. The DWP awards a benefit known as Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) to sufferers of the following asbestos-related medical conditions;
Eligible sufferers receive a regular payment, calculated on a sliding percentage scale, according to the level of disablement assessed in their individual case.
If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you would not normally have to attend a medical assessment and you would receive the highest weekly payment on the scale.
In addition to IIDB, there are various lump sum payments available and Stephensons can advise you in detail regarding your eligibility. Such payments are often made in the following circumstances;
Claims on behalf of a family member
It is very important to bear in mind that when a loved one passes away due to an industrial disease, a claim can still be made for them.
Sadly, many sufferers only discover they have a serious asbestos-related condition when they are already in the advanced stages of the disease. We understand that there are far more important considerations to be had at this incredibly difficult time, however, sufferers can draw some comfort from the knowledge that a claim will help to provide financially for their relatives after their death.
A claim on behalf of the late sufferer’s estate should be made as soon as possible and court proceedings must be issued within three years of the date of diagnosis.
Industrial disease-related deaths are always reported to the local Coroner, who may ask that a formal inquest takes place. Stephensons have experience of supporting bereaved clients during this process and have attended inquests with them. The Coroner’s report can assist in building a case against the sufferer’s previous employers.
A bereaved spouse or civil partner can claim a bereavement award and may also be entitled to additional benefits. If the family member did not leave a will, compensation is distributed to their next of kin in accordance with the rules of intestacy.
In addition to compensation for the significant pain and suffering caused to the late sufferer, we will advise you on the various items that can be claimed on behalf of the estate, such as hospice fees and funeral expenses.
All it takes to start your claim is a conversation with one of our expert solicitors, where you will be provided with some free initial no obligation legal advice, call us on 0203 816 0065 or complete our online enquiry form and a member of the team will contact you directly.
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