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Occupational Asthma Caused by Enzymes

If you or a member of your family is suffering from occupational asthma caused by exposure to enzymes, it is possible that our specialist personal injury lawyers could help you to claim compensation.  Contact us today on 0800 032 8511 for claim advice, or by completing a claim enquiry form.

Asthma
Occupational Asthma
Enzymes
Making a Compensation Claim
Occupational Asthma Compensation
Specialist Claim Advice

Asthma

Asthma is a breathing disorder whereby a sufferer’s airways become restricted and narrowed.  Attacks are often brought on by exposure to an irritant of some kind and can be extremely distressing for the person affected.  Mostly, the narrowing of the airways can be reversed within a relatively short period of time with the correct treatment or medication; however sometimes it can be quite serious.

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Occupational Asthma

Workplaces can at times be hazardous for employees if not correctly maintained.  Therefore there are detailed regulations in force, such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988 (or COSHH), to protect workers from exposure to certain chemicals and substances that may harm them.

Unfortunately these are not always followed and occasionally, environmental conditions at work can cause or encourage asthma.  This type of condition is known as occupational asthma.  If it can be proven that your asthma is related to conditions in your place of work, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation.

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Enzymes

As Enzymes are now being used for many different purposes, often in detergents for example, it is becoming more of a common problem for employees to suffer adverse reactions when not properly protected.  In addition to respiratory complaints, such as asthma, they can also cause skin irritations.  It should also be noted that symptoms may not occur immediately after the initial exposure to enzymes, as they can often take weeks or even months to develop.

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Making a Compensation Claim

In every case, medical evidence will be required.  Detailed expert evidence is often also required in disease cases to show that the condition suffered by a claimant was caused by exposure to a particular substance.

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

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Occupatinal Asthma 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 is called general damages and can include an award for your inability to do things that you used to be able to do before (eg walk the dog, DIY projects, play sports etc).  The award for loss of amenity can be for a short period or for ever if that is what the medical evidence supports.

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

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Specialist Claim Advice

At The Legal Line, we have specialist personal injury lawyers who are experienced in making compensation claims for occupational asthma.  They can provide you with claim advice and help to assess the effects that your condition has had on your present and possibly future life and work, to ensure that you are compensated appropriately. 

It may also be possible for families to claim posthumous compensation in respect of a family member that has died as a result of occupational asthma.

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