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Home > Accident Types > UK Industrial Disease Claims > Asbestos Compensation Claims

 

Asbestos Compensation Claims

 

Our Lawyers

Here at The Legal Line, our lawyers are experts in making compensation claims for victims of industrial diseases caused by exposure to asbestos. They can offer specialist guidance, assistance and claim advice for anyone who believes that they, or a member of their family, have been affected, to reach the best possible outcome. In some cases it is also possible to make a posthumous compensation claim for a person that has died because of asbestos.

If you or a member of your family is suffering from an illness caused through exposure to asbestos, our specialist personal injury lawyers may be able to help you claim compensation. Contact us today on 0800 032 8511 for claim advice, or by completing a claim enquiry form.

Experts in Industrial Disease
Diseases Caused by Asbestos
Where is Asbestos Commonly Found?
Who is likely to be affected by asbestos related diseases?

How many people are affected by asbestos related diseases?
The Claims Process
Compensation

How Much Compensation am I Likely to Receive?
Successful Compensation Claims for Asbestos Related Diseases
Letters of Thanks from Our Clients
Useful Links

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Experts in Industrial Disease

Ian McFall works with the national asbestos team for The Legal Line Lawyers. Ian's reputation as one of the leading experts in asbestos litigation has been acknowledged in "The Legal 500" directory where he is described by insurance company solicitors as "a formidable opponent".

The dedicated team of specialist lawyers at the Thompsons offices are described by Chambers UK 2006 as "personable and co-operative" and "putting the claimant at the centre of the issue". The team excels at claims arising from industrial disease and employers liability, with "a strong human angle" and "experience and a vast degree of knowledge" in the field.

Our lawyers have handled many industrial disease cases, recovering compensation on behalf of their clients. They have specialist asbestos teams covering every part of the country. Cases and issues they have been involved in include the following matters detailed in our news section:

You can also visit our success stories section for more details of these successful asbestos disease claims:

£300,000 compensation awarded for Mesothelioma victim - The widow of Ray Kerrigan recovered compensation from his former employers with help from our specialist lawyers.
South African Mineworkers win Asbestos payout - Our solicitors helped to set up a compensation trust for mineworkers in South Africa exposed to asbestos.

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Diseases Caused by Asbestos

There are several diseases and conditions that can be caused by exposure to asbestos, which usually (but not always) occurs in the workplace. These include:

Asbestosis
Pleural Plaques
Pleural Thickening
Mesothelioma
Lung Cancer

Some of these illnesses are serious and can be fatal; others such as pleural plaques cause worry and stress to the sufferer.

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Where is Asbestos Commonly Found?

As asbestos was used widely in the building industry until the 1980s, many buildings including factories will contain some form of asbestos. So long as the asbestos has not been damaged or disturbed it is generally safe, however if asbestos fibres become airborne they can be very harmful to humans.

Common places that asbestos can be found include:

  • Lagging around boilers and pipes
  • Some floor and ceiling tiles
  • Heat resistant materials such as fire blankets and roofing felts
  • Insulation boards and materials, as used in duct covers, soffits, fire surrounds and packing between partition walls
  • Products made with asbestos cement, including cladding, bath panels, guttering and downpipes

If you find that you live or work in a building that contains damaged asbestos, you should report it immediately so that it can be carefully and safely removed.

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Who is likely to be affected by asbestos related diseases?

Asbestos has been used for centuries because of its ability to give protection against a wide range of conditions such as resistance to very high temperatures, cold, noise, energy loss, vibration and many more.  A great many workers exposed to asbestos were not provided with sufficient protective equipment, leaving them at risk of developing asbestos related illnesses.

The dangers from asbestos exposure were realised in the early part of the 20th century and the risk of really serious conditions from even minimal exposure became known in the 1950’s and 60’s. Despite this, asbestos continued to be used in considerable quantities and for this reason, it still exists in many buildings today.  Left untouched and undamaged, it poses little threat but there is always a risk that building maintenance, building refurbishment, construction works or even cleaning around asbestos lagged pipework will disturb it and release the fibres into the environment.

As well as workers who were engaged in the asbestos production industry, there are a number of industries and trades which are potentially still at risk. Those involved in asbestos production and application are of course those most at risk, together to a lesser degree with those involved in its removal if proper precautions are not taken. Currently the occupations not directly involved in its production which have been found to have the highest risk of mesothelioma for males are:

• Metal Plate Workers
• Vehicle Body Builders
• Plumbers and Gas Fitters
• Carpenters
• Electricians
• Sheet Metal Workers
• Electrical Plant Operators
• Production Fitters
• Construction Works
• Electrical Engineers

Generally, these can be associated with industries such as locomotive building, shipbuilding and railway carriage construction which involve the installation of lagging to building or industrial plant, as well as the building or maintenance industry which has claimed over 25% of those dying from mesothelioma. This last of course is the area which may still hold a risk of exposure.

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How many people are affected by asbestos related diseases?

The HSE has stated that asbestos is the greatest single cause of work related deaths in the UK and as well as the major diseases (asbestosis, mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer and diffuse pleural thickening) current evidence suggests it may be implicated in causing other diseases such as pharyngeal, stomach and colorectal cancers, and can also cause laryngeal cancer.

Latest projections provided by the HSE suggest that the number of people likely to die as a result of this exposure is still on the increase and likely to continue rising until at least 2011 and possibly longer since the exact number of people exposed is unknown, and most asbestos related diseases only become manifest more than 10 years (and often around 30 or 40 years) after exposure.

In 2004, the latest year for which the HSE has data, almost 2000 people died of mesothelioma, and the best guess by the HSE is that a further similar number died of other lung cancer illnesses caused by the exposure.

Neither must it be underestimated the number of sufferers who will experience non-malignant asbestos-related diseases. Each year, according to the Department of Work and Pensions, the number claiming compensation for the prescribed occupational disease of asbestosis has risen to the current level of over 800 in 2005, and a further 400 plus claiming disablement benefit for diffuse pleural thickening.

Of course these numbers only reflect those claiming benefits, and the real figure may be considerably higher as some sufferers chose not to (or are not aware that they are able to) claim these benefits.

If you wish to find out more details about asbestos and the risks, you will find the HSE website details in our Useful Links.

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The Claims Process

If you or one of your family members is unlucky enough to suffer from a disease caused by asbestos, there is a chance that you will be entitled to make a personal injury compensation claim.

Our lawyers will endeavour to:

Obtain Medical Evidence

Medical evidence will be required to show the precise nature and extent of the condition suffered by a claimant and that it has been caused by exposure to asbestos.

Trace the Negligent Party

Asbestos disease takes many years to develop after exposure. By then the person you need to make a claim against (most likely a former employer) may no longer be in business. The Legal Line Lawyers have an extensive database of records of companies which used asbestos and who insured them, together with all the knowledge and experience of how to pursue companies which no longer exist. This is a very specialist area of expertise. Pursuing these claims is complicated and is best dealt with by an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Determine Whether You Were Owed a Duty of Care

In any personal injury claim it is necessary to show that the person or company you are making a claim against owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty of care (were negligent or in breach of their statutory duty), and that the injury you sustained was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that negligence.

The Legal Line lawyers have vast knowledge of and experience in how to interpret the many statutory provisions (in some cases going back over 75 years) which apply to the use of asbestos in the workplace.

Obtain Witness Evidence

They will need to find out if you still have contact with colleagues or friends who did the same work as you and if you have any records of employment to support your claim.

However, The Legal Line lawyers have extensive knowledge of how to help you find supporting evidence, and indeed in some cases can provide relevant evidence from their own database of witnesses and claimants in previous cases going back over several decades.

They know how to go about obtaining records of employment. So, do not worry if you no longer have these or have lost contact with your old work colleagues. The Legal Line lawyers will work to assemble all the evidence that is required to support your case.

Time Limits

There is a time limit for bringing legal claims. In asbestos disease cases the victim normally has 3 years from the date they are told or should have realised they are suffering from a disease caused by asbestos in which to bring legal proceeding .

In cases where the victim has died, the time limit for the estate (usually the widow) to bring the claim is 3 years from the date of death.

In both cases, even if the time limit has expired, it may still be possible to pursue a claim, relying on the court’s discretion. It is always crucial to seek legal advice as quickly as possible. The Legal Line lawyers will advise you in detail on any matters relating to time limits, and will, once instructed, pursue your case vigorously with a view to obtaining the best compensation in the minimum time.

If, for any reason, a legal claim is not possible, again they will advise you as quickly as possible and explain the reasons in plain English.

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Compensation

There are two elements to a compensation award. The first is for the pain and suffering you may have gone through and what is known as loss of amenity. This part of the compensation award is called general damages and reimburses you for the injuries you suffered and the effect of these injuries on your life (including the effect on your ability to do things that you used to be able to do before, eg, wash your car, look after your garden, walk the dog, etc). It also covers future losses such as any future loss of earnings, pension loss, future care requirements, any aids and equipment that may be required, and so on. The award for loss of amenity will depend on how serious your condition is.

The second element of a compensation award is for your past losses and expenses and is known as special damages. It is important to keep receipts for any expenditure you have related to the accident, so that these can be reclaimed. The aim is to put you back in a position financially as if the accident had never occurred.

If you are unlucky enough to suffer an asbestos condition where there is a risk of serious deterioration (for example if you have asbestosis and there is a future risk of mesothelioma) you may be entitled to ask for a provisional award of damages. This compensates you with an award of compensation on the assumption that your condition will not deteriorate, but allows you or your family to go back to court for a further award if the worst happens. Alternatively, you can accept a final award if you so wish. The Legal Line lawyers will advise you what the best course of action is in your case and explain the options in plain English.

If an asbestos victim has already died, it is still possible for a claim to be pursued by the family. If the claim is successful, the compensation award for pain and suffering will go to the victim’s estate (very often the widow for example), and there may also be an award under the Fatal Accidents Acts.

The same applies if the claimant dies while the legal case is proceeding. The Legal Line lawyers will be able to continue with the case so as to obtain compensation for the victim’s family and explain who is entitled to the award.

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How Much Compensation am I Likely to Receive?

The details of each case are assessed individually, as a number of factors affect the amount of compensation awarded in an industrial disease claim. These include the severity of the condition, any loss of earnings and other losses related to the illness (for example medical expenses and care costs).

Awards made in previous claims of a similar nature are used as a guideline however, together with general guidelines from the Judicial Studies Board. Our ‘How Much’ section provides further information and you can find details of previous settled cases in our news and success stories sections.

 

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Successful Compensation Claims for Asbestos Related Diseases

Below are details of just a few of the many successful cases handled by our specialist lawyers on behalf of the victims of asbestos related illnesses and their families:

  1. £155,000 compensation for widow of mesothelioma victim who relied on her husband for care.
  2. Mesothelioma claim for the widow of a former plumber who used to cut and apply asbestos.
  3. Electrical fitter's widow recovered mesothelioma compensation with the help of our specialist solicitors.
  4. Our lawyers secured over £100,000 compensation for the bereaved widow of a fitter who died from mesothelioma.
  5. Our asbestos litigation team recover compensation in fatal mesothelioma case
  6. Successful compensation claim for the widow of an engine cleaner and fireman who fell victim to mesothelioma.
  7. Claim for pipe fitter who died from mesothelioma caused by working with asbestos lagging.
  8. More than £100,000 damages recovered for the bereaved widow of railway and chemical plant worker who died from mesothelioma.
  9. Widow wins asbestos compensation for husbands exposure to asbestos fibres.
  • £155,000 compensation for mesothelioma widow: Our client suffered a stroke in 1992 and as a result was very dependent upon her husband, who died in 2005 from the asbestos related condition mesothelioma. Her husband was employed as a Fitter for over 40 years for his employer in South Cheshire and was systematically exposed to asbestos. This included working in one of a number of stripping pits where asbestos was in daily use, including asbestos blankets being dropped by crane causing huge clouds of dust, covering the deceased. Later he worked in areas where the atmosphere contained substantial quantities of asbestos dust where insulation was removed from arc chutes.

    Her husband first showed symptoms in 2003, losing substantial weight and getting breathless with little exertion. After x-rays and a CT scan he was diagnosed with mesothelioma and, in 2004 was fitted with a permanent chest drain to deal with the fluid on his lungs, which had to be emptied regularly. By 2005 he was virtually housebound, and was bedridden for the last few weeks of his life.

    Because of her stroke, our client relied heavily on her husband not just for the DIY and gardening tasks around the house, but also the day to day household activities such as cooking, shopping, washing, ironing and cleaning. She is unable to drive since the stroke and now relies on her daughter to take her shopping.

    The Defendant’s insurers admitted liability and our solicitors were able to secure £155,000 in compensation.

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  • Successful compensation claim for plumber's widow: Our client’s husband worked as a plumber with the same company for just short of 50 years when he died in 2004 of mesothelioma. Starting as an apprentice he was involved in working for his employer on secured contracts in shipyards, schools and hospitals and was frequently involved not only in working with the asbestos but breaking it away from pipes, cutting it with an acetylene cutter and even a hacksaw. He also used pre-formed sections around pipes which required him to mix up asbestos to skim over the top to set hard.

    Often, lagging contractors were engaged at the same time to lag pipes and spray asbestos, and he was working in the same environment as they broke up the asbestos. Asbestos was also used for insulating walls and was cut in situ. The dust and debris was later swept up dry and put into sacks for disposal. This continued for many years without any protection, or any safe system of working.

    In 2002, her husband complained of a tickly cough which would not improve with antibiotics. After an x-ray he was diagnosed with pleural plaques due to exposure to asbestos. His cough persisted and a year later after further x-rays and tests including a CT scan he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Although initially an operation was offered, this proved not to be viable and a session of chemotherapy also proved of no benefit. Sadly, her husband died in 2005.

    Previously very active around the house and garden, in his last years her husband was unable to carry out the smallest of tasks, being out of breath even when resting. Had he not died, she would have expected to have his support and companionship for a good number of years. Our solicitors were able to secure damages of over £200,000 in compensation for the loss of her lifetime partner.

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  • Industrial disease compensation for mesothelioma case: In 2003 our Client’s husband died of mesothelioma, for which there was no curative treatment. After complaining of shortness of breath for some time during 2002, and following x-rays and other tests, he was diagnosed with the fatal disease and survived for only a few months.

    He was exposed to asbestos during his normal working day as an Electrical Fitter and, although not directly involved in handling it, he had to work close to where the asbestos was disturbed. During the course of his work he would be required to touch asbestos lagging which broke up when touched, resulting in dust on his clothes and overalls.

    The deceased was never offered any form of breathing or respiratory equipment or any form of safe working system.

    Although he ceased to work for this employer in 1984, the direct result of these unsafe working conditions was the development of mesothelioma from which he subsequently died.

    Despite the insurer’s initial reluctance, damages of just over £100,000 have now been secured for our Client, his Widow, who has suffered bereavement and been deprived of her husband’s normal life expectancy for a number of years.

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  • Mesothelioma claim for fitter's widow: Our client, a grandmother, was widowed in 2005 when her husband of many years died from mesothelioma. Relying heavily on her husband because of her own poor health, she now has to rely on her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren to cope with tasks around the home and garden.

    Her husband only developed acute symptoms in the year prior to his death but they were caused by daily exposure to asbestos during his work as a fitter for over 30 years. As part of his job he had to work in an area where asbestos was being applied and also removed from engines. Additionally there was asbestos in the air, caused by allowing sheets to fall to the floor of the engine stripping pits, thus creating huge clouds of asbestos dust. Asbestos fibres also used to stick to his overalls, which had to be brought home to be washed by his wife.

    He had led an active life, enjoying dancing and crown green bowling, but had to give up both when he became breathless with very little exertion due to the mesothelioma. He became housebound and enjoyed a very poor quality of life with constant pain and exhaustion, compounded by a bout of pneumonia.

    His employer during these 30 plus years admitted liability and our specialist solicitors were able to obtain over £100,000 in compensation.

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  • More than £250,000 damages for mesothelioma victim: A client was diagnosed with Mesothelioma in 2001 following treatment for fluid on his lungs. Over the previous year or so he had complained of back pains, and had initially been diagnosed with pleurisy. When Mesothelioma was diagnosed, he was offered surgery to begin with, but his condition later proved to be inoperable.

    Our client had worked for several companies through the 1960s and 1970s who had allowed him to be exposed to asbestos without proper protective measures. Working in the building trade, he was involved in the construction of houses and was particularly involved in cutting and fixing asbestos in confined spaces. As well as breathing in the asbestos dust as he worked, he also swept up the dry dust to clear the area after working, kicking up extensive dust clouds which he was forced to inhale.

    Having never smoked and being extremely fit, our client would have expected to work to 65 and enjoy an active retirement with his wife of over 30 years at the time of his diagnosis. Sadly, only in his 50s, our client died and the claim was continued by his widow.

    Despite several of the companies and their insurance agents being no longer in existence, our solicitors, who are experts in cases involving asbestos-related diseases such as Mesothelioma, were able to secure in excess of a quarter of a million pounds for his widow.

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  • Asbestos disease claim for railway worker: Our specialist industrial disease lawyers were instructed by a union to pursue a case for mesothelioma compensation for a client who had been exposed to asbestos during his work as an engine cleaner and a fireman in a railway depot. Sadly, our client died soon after we were instructed and we were then asked to continue to represent his widow in pursuing the claim for this work related disease.

    For over 10 years he had been employed to clean locomotive engines which had required him to disturb asbestos around boilers. He was also required to renew and repair asbestos joints on steam pipes, using asbestos cord which he kept in the pocket of his overalls. In his later role as railway fireman he continued to be exposed to asbestos.

    During his retirement our client began suffering progressively distressing symptoms of this work related disease for some 2 years prior to his death. Initially his shortness of breath, tiredness, and weight loss became rapidly more pronounced causing increasing and relentless pain and breathlessness. Following his initial visit to his GP, he was referred to the hospital for tests. He was kept in the hospital for a number of weeks whilst he underwent x-rays, biopsies, and had to have a chest drain inserted to remove fluid which was found on his lungs. For some time tests proved inconclusive, but eventually he was diagnosed with mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos, with a life expectancy at this point of no more than a few months.

    A devoted family man and grandfather our client was devastated by the news, as were his wife and family. He was prescribed morphine as part of his pain management and became dependant on mask-fed oxygen. He died only 2 months after being diagnosed. The coroner returned a verdict of death due to industrial disease.


    Our Solicitors brought Court proceedings against his employers for a mesothelioma compensation claim. However a settlement  was reached with the insurers without any need for the widow to attend Court. The specialist lawyers who work in our Asbestos Litigation Team were able to secure a substantial sum for the client in settlement of this asbestos related compensation claim.

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  • Industrial disease compensation for factory employee's widow: Retired and in his late 60’s, our client’s husband had been employed for many years at various factory locations operated by the defendant, spanning a period of some 20 years. During this time he had held several positions including plumber’s mate, boiler house attendant and a pipe fitter. In 2004, after an illness of a few months, her husband died as the result of asbestos related mesothelioma due to inhaling asbestos fibres during the course of his employment. One of our personal injury lawyers who specialises in mesothelioma compensation claims, was asked to provide compensation claim advice and then to represent the client in bringing the claim for mesothelioma compensation.

    His work brought him into constant contact with boilers and pipework which were lagged with asbestos. In order to repair or replace these pipes, he would have had to disturb the asbestos, and in some cases strip it out completely. Not only would he have inhaled the asbestos fibres generated by the disturbance, but the dust would contaminate his clothes and overalls which then had to be taken home for washing.

    During the period he was employed by the defendants, he was also involved in cleaning air filter extractors, and cleaning the inside of boilers, with the subsequent disturbance of asbestos material which was in a poor state due to its age. The ceiling and roof panels of the boiler houses were also lagged with asbestos, giving further rise to exposure to asbestos dust. No extraction or ventilation was available, and he was not provided with any protective mask or local exhaust ventilation / protection measures to reduce the risk of contracting an industrial disease.

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  • Private case for mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure: In less than a year, our client’s husband had developed pains in his stomach and had died from mesothelioma. He had developed this incurable industrial disease through a lifetime exposure to asbestos whilst working on the railways and at a chemical plant, progressing through a number of positions to that of foreman / supervisor.

    Retired, he had always helped his wife with the housework, shopping, DIY, maintenance, and even taking the dog for a walk. The everyday tasks which we take for granted, but because of her own arthritis, she will now need additional help.

    The asbestos was stored at some of these locations without any form of covering. During the course of his work, he was exposed to asbestos dust from lagging used on the steam engines. Whenever the asbestos was removed from the pipework it would be damaged, releasing asbestos fibres and dust into the air around them. Much of the lagging would already be deteriorating due to age and wear and tear, again allowing the fibres to be released into the air.

    After suffering the stomach pains for some months, her husband had visited his doctor who referred him to the local hospital for an x-ray. He was immediately taken into hospital where various tests and observations revealed that he was suffering from the asbestos related disease, mesothelioma. Their daughter was able to help nurse her father who required around the clock care in his final weeks, and tragically, it was only weeks later that he died.

    The cancer, which had been triggered by this work related illness, had spread to other parts of his body and near the end he was in a great deal of pain, very tired and breathless all the time.

    Although not a member of a union, our specialist asbestos solicitor took on this case as a private claim and were successful in obtaining over £100,000 for this mesothelioma compensation claim at no cost to our client.

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  • Widow wins asbestos compensation for husbands exposure to asbestos fibres: Having initially worked as a turner, and then spending time as an electrician in the Royal Navy, our client’s husband returned to civilian life as an electrician in a power station. Although not directly working with asbestos, for several years he was exposed to asbestos at work on a daily basis. He worked on installations or maintenance in or around the boiler room at the same time as the laggers and fitters were working with asbestos on the pipes.

    The air in the boiler houses and surrounding vicinity were constantly filled with asbestos dust, which was allowed to fall from the pipes, and would often be thrown around giving the effect of a snowstorm. Of course, this resulted in our client’s husband and his colleagues routinely inhaling the asbestos fibres. In addition, his overalls, which he had to bring home for washing, would be covered with asbestos dust. He was never provided with protective clothing, or warned of the dangers of industrial diseases caused by exposure to asbestos.

    Although he had been advised some years prior to his death that he had scarring on his lungs due to asbestos, the cause of his death was a combination of diseases, all of which had resulted from the exposure to asbestos. During the last months of his life he developed frequent chest infections, was constantly coughing, and was provided with an inhaler. He became more breathless as the months wore on and became frustrated as his lack of mobility meant he was unable to enjoy even occasional trips to visit friends or the theatre.

    At an early stage in this asbestos compensation claim, the defendant admitted liability and it then became a case of negotiating an appropriate level of compensation for our client. Thompsons Solicitors, our specialist lawyers, have a reputation for successfully obtaining compensation for asbestos related claims and were able to secure £55,000 in settlement.

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Letters of Thanks from Our Clients

The following are extracts from letters of thanks to our solicitors.  Some are written by victims of asbestos related diseases and others by family members on behalf of relatives who have died:

  • Thank you for all your hard and dedicated work on my behalf in achieving a settlement that you did.  My wife and I appreciate all you did for us and although it can't compensate for a life, it's better in my bank account than the insurers' coffers.  Thank you again with best wishes.
  • I would like to thank you so much for everything that you have done for me over the last three years.  You have both been so kind and understanding with both Bill and myself, we couldn't have done it without you.  I miss Bill so much but your kindness and understanding has helped me more than you know.
  • Just a brief note to thank you for your successful, kind and caring handling of my claim for compensation from Vickers.  It was very much appreciated by me and my family.
  • I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and Messrs Thompsons for the service I have received from day one, of my claims against my former employers.  You always gave me the impression, I would always win my claim.  Thanks again.
  • Thank you very much for your letter and cheque in settlement of the claim.  Many thanks for the efficient, yet caring and sensitive way in which you have dealt with this matter on behalf of my late father and myself.  I am sure that he would have been very pleased at the outcome and extremely grateful for all the hard work that you and your team have put in.
  • I wish to thank you for all your hard work to bring my case for compensation to a successful end and for keeping me informed which I appreciate very much.
  • Thanks so much for your help and patience during this 'claim' period.  I'm so happy it's over and I didn't need to go to court.
  • Thank you for your letter of the 3rd and the final settlement of my husband's claim.  I apologise for the delay in acknowledging the same but we are spending most of the time at Newcastle Cancer Centre.  I would just like to thank you on behalf of my husband for the courteous and considerate way in which you have handled the case.
  • Thank you for forwarding the cheque for £80,000 which I received 21 Nov 2006.  I have been most grateful for your advice during the processing of my claim for compensation, and for the most efficient manner in which you have expedited the case, bringing it to a satisfactory conclusion.  Wishing your continued success.

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Useful Links

Our lawyers have a long reputation for fighting for compensation for clients suffering asbestos related diseases. Through their work they have established strong links with many other organisations who also exist to support those suffering, particularly asbestos support groups. Below you will find links to support groups and other organisations which you might find useful or informative if you or someone you know has been affected by exposure to asbestos:

TUC / HSE Brief Guide to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 - A summary of the new regulations aimed at safety representatives, with information and advice about asbestos in the workplace.

Directgov - Advice on what to do if you believe that there may be asbestos in your home.

NHS Direct - Information about asbestosis and other asbestos related diseases, their symptoms, how they are diagnosed and methods of treatment.

Health and Safety Executive - Information about asbestos, where it is found, who is at risk of exposure and the regulations affecting asbestos use and disposal.

Asbestos Support Group Forum - Advice and information for the victims of asbestos related illnesses, including details of campaigns.

Derbyshire Trade Union Safety Team (TRUST) - Information and advice on workplace health and safety issues.

Asbestos Awareness Wales (Ymwybyddiaeth Asbestos Cymru) - Statistics on diseases caused by asbestos, details of upcoming events and conferences, an asbestos newsletter and general information.

British Asbestos Newsletter (BAN) - Information from around the world about asbestos related topics.

Cheshire Asbestos Victims Support Group - A charity campaigning to support those affected by asbestos.

Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund (MKMRF) - A charity working to promote mesothelioma awareness and raise funds for research into the disease.

Greater Manchester Asbestos Vctims Support Group - Answers to common questions about asbestos and general information about current issues, asbestos related illnesses and benefits that victims can claim.

Merseyside Asbestos Vctims Support Group (MAVSG) - Support and advice for the victims of industrial illnesses caused by exposure to asbestos.

Ridings Asbestos Support and Awareness Group (RASAG) - Useful information guides on issues relating to asbestos.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIBD) - Department of Work and Pensions information page on IIDB.

Cancerbackup - Information, advice and contacts for sufferers of asbestos related cancers.

Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA) - Contacts and information on asbestos removal in the UK.

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