Why are we still seeing high numbers of people suffering from asbestos related diseases?
Despite the use of asbestos being fully banned in 1999, asbestos related diseases are still the biggest cause of industrial deaths in the UK. It is not just mesothelioma cases, but lung cancer and asbestosis form a large proportion of the numbers.
As a specialist in asbestos compensation claims, I have been acting for clients suffering from asbestos related diseases for over 30 years. When I was first introduced to asbestos litigation in 1996 as a trainee, my supervising partner was quite clear that the cases would have a limited lifeline as its dangers had been recognised and use had been dramatically reduced.
However, although we thought asbestos related diseases would reduce significantly in numbers by now, this has not been the case as we continue to see people diagnosed and suffering from disabling symptoms and loss of life expectancy. There are a number of reasons for this continued suffering, even in light of the 1999 asbestos ban.
The Role Of The Asbestos Latency Period
The continued diagnosis of asbestos related diseases is partially down to the asbestos latency period – the time between the date of actual exposure to asbestos and when symptoms develop. If a potential sufferer says they were exposed to asbestos two weeks ago after disturbing some old asbestos pipe lagging and now they are suffering from a nasty cough and breathlessness, their symptoms will not have been caused by the asbestos exposure. The medical guideline is that it generally takes a minimum of 10 years between exposure and the development of an asbestos related disease. Typically, it is more than likely to be 30, 40 or even 50 years. Someone exposed to asbestos in 1990 may not develop symptoms until 2040 due to the lengthy asbestos latency period.
Pleural Plaques & Delayed Symptoms
Asbestos related diseases also tend to develop slowly which means it takes time for symptoms to become disabling and persuade someone to seek compensation and benefit from care and private treatment assistance. It often starts with pleural plaques which doesn’t produce any symptoms, but is an indicator of exposure to asbestos. Over time, pleural thickening or asbestosis can follow if the exposure has been more significant. Not everyone develops a malignant condition, but the risks are still substantial leading to lung cancer or mesothelioma where care is vital.
Asbestos Is Still Being Discovered
The third factor as to why we are still seeing new cases of asbestos related diseases is that asbestos still continues to be in the fabric of so many old buildings and it can take very little exposure to cause mesothelioma. Although the use of asbestos material diminished over the years up until the ban in 1999, people are ultimately still being exposed, often when they are not aware of the danger.
The Main Concerns
Recently, the Joint Union Asbestos Committee (JUAC) report, produced after an investigation by eight unions representing heads, teachers and support staff, states: “Hundreds of thousands of students and staff, exposed to asbestos in their schools since the mid-1990s, are predicted to die from mesothelioma.” They criticise cost-cutting culture which wrongly implies asbestos is safe as long as it is not disturbed.
Schools and hospitals are a major problem. Figures show at least 1,400 teachers have died from mesothelioma and there is a fear these numbers will grow as the buildings crumble with asbestos lagging on pipework and asbestos-insulated boarding or partitioning walls or ceilings disintegrate as they age.
This is a major concern and if you do develop the typical symptoms of breathlessness and coughing and think you could have been exposed to asbestos, you may have grounds for an asbestos compensation claim, even if the exposure took place many years ago.
Should you wish to explore the viability of making a claim as a sufferer of an asbestos related disease, I can offer some free advice as to whether you may be entitled to compensation. Do not hesitate to reach out to me directly by emailing james.walsh@GAsolicitors.com or call the office on 01752 203500 to be put in touch with our expert industrial disease solicitors in Plymouth.
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