28 Aug Asbestos injury claims
Usually affecting the respiratory system, asbestos-related illnesses can be difficult to live with. The use of asbestos in Ireland wasn’t banned until the 1980s. If you believe you have developed an illness due to asbestos exposure, get in touch with one of our expert personal injury solicitors about making asbestos injury claims. Our team will make the process of acquiring fair compensation as easy as possible for you and your loved ones.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos refers to a group of naturally occurring mineral fibres, which are strong, heat-resistant and chemical-resistant. Because of its durability, in the past asbestos was often used in insulation, fire-proof materials and other building products.
Exposure to asbestos
Though asbestos isn’t used today, it still remains a hazard for certain occupations who can be exposed to the fibres while working on older, asbestos-contaminated buildings. In Ireland, buildings built between the 1930s and 1970s are most likely to be contaminated.
Occupations at risk of exposure include:
- Construction workers, electricians, plasterers, engineers.
- Firefighters
According to figures from the World Health Organization, asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis from on the job exposures was responsible for 107,000 deaths around the world in 2004. On top of this, several thousand deaths can be attributed to other asbestos-related diseases.
Illnesses related to asbestos injury claims
It is now well known that asbestos exposure is detrimental to health and can encourage illnesses to develop over time. In some cases, this may take decades. However, doctors can often link a diagnosis of mesothelioma to occupational exposure.
Illnesses associated with asbestos include:
- Lung cancer
- Mesothelioma – a cancer in the lining of the lungs, heart and abdomen.
- Asbestosis – a lung disease characterised by scarring in the lungs.
- Pleural thickening – a lung disease in which scarring thickens the lungs’ lining.
- Pleural plaque – deposits of hyalinized collagen fibers in the lungs.
In some cases, cancer can develop in the friends and family of those who worked with asbestos and carried fibres home on their skin, hair or clothes.
Can I make an asbestos injury claim?
Sufferers of asbestos-related illnesses require long-term medical treatment, oxygen and medications. This can be costly so it’s often necessary for victims to take asbestos injury claims against former employers.
To be eligible to make a claim, your exposure to asbestos must be the fault of a third party – usually a former employer. It is necessary to show that exposure could have been avoided if your employer had greater concern for your safety. A lack of protective wear, training or procedures to protect against exposure will indicate negligence.
Even if exposure happened 50 years ago, asbestos injury claims can be made within two years of being diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease.
Contact the experts in asbestos injury claims
If you have suffered an asbestos-related illness, contact Ferrys Solicitors LLP Personal Injury and Accident Solicitors. We’ll make the process as easy as possible during this stressful time.
