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PCB Related Illnesses

If you are suffering from an illness or disease caused by PCBs, you may be entitled to claim compensation.  Our specialist personal injury solicitors can provide expert claim advice and assistance, so contact us on 0800 032 8511 or by completing a claim enquiry form.

What are PCBs?
PCB Exposure Claims
Industrial Illness Compensation
Specialist Claim Advice

What are PCBs?

As PCBs are a chemical compound with a high resistance to heat and electricity, they were previously used in some types of electrical equipment.  Since links were discovered to various illnesses and injuries, the commercial manufacturing of PCBs has been discontinued.  You can find a list of some trade names of substances containing PCBs on the HSE website.

There are however still some circumstances under which a person could be exposed to PCBs, generally through leaks. 

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Health Effects of PCB Exposure

Repeated exposure to PCBs can cause them to accumulate within the body.  This can be damaging to health and conditions that PCBs can cause with sufficient exposure are:

• Damage to liver function
• Immune system damage
• Skin conditions (most notably chloracne)
• Recently links have been found to cancer

It is therefore important that anyone who works with or around PCBs does so safely.  If there is any possibility of contact with PCBs, full personal protective equipment should be worn, but you should avoid all contact whatsoever where possible.

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PCB Exposure Claims

If you believe that you are suffering an illness or injury as a result of exposure to PCBs, the first and most important step is to seek medical attention.  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.

If a family member has died from a disease caused by exposure to PCBs, it may still be possible to make a claim posthumously.

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Industrial Illness 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 wash your car, look after your garden, take children to school 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 illness, so that these can be reclaimed.  The aim is to put you back in a position financially as if the exposure to PCBs had never occurred.

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Specialist Claim Advice

             

At The Legal Line, our lawyers specialise in all areas of personal injury, including industrial disease, and are experienced in recovering compensation for the victims of PCB Related Illnesses.  They can provide expert advice and assistance in reviewing your case and working towards the best possible outcome.

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