Asbestos and Mesothelioma Claims
Asbestos was widely used for many years in industry.
Even brief exposure to asbestos dust can result in devastating illnesses, including:
Because of the way asbestos fibres get stuck in the lungs causing damage over time, symptoms often start decades after exposure to asbestos. Often, the diagnosis is during someone’s lifetime but can also be during the post-mortem after someone has passed away.
Who is at risk?
Although people who have been exposed to greater amounts of asbestos are at greater risk, anyone exposed to asbestos is at risk of developing severe illness and even a small level of exposure can cause mesothelioma. You may like to read more in this article.
Some people may not be aware of how or where they were exposed to asbestos because their employers did not warn them of the risks nor take any precautions. For this reason, advice from an experienced solicitor who will go through your work history is vital.
Workers who are at higher risk of being exposed to asbestos include:
- Shipbuilders
- Railway engineers
- Builders and other construction workers
- Factories that made asbestos products
- Carpenters
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Asbestos miners
- Painters
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Even if you did not work in one of these trades, you may still have been exposed to significant amounts of asbestos. For example, many school teachers have died from mesothelioma because asbestos was used extensively in old school buildings. Mechanics have developed mesothelioma because brake discs were commonly made from asbestos.
The risk is not limited to people who handled asbestos directly.
For example, we recently successfully acted for a claimant who was a labourer in the construction of Hinkley Point A in the 1960s. The sheer scale of asbestos used meant that he breathed in substantial quantities of asbestos dust and developed asbestosis in later life.
How we can help
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, or if a loved one has died from an asbestos-related illness, we can help you.
We start by offering a free initial consultation. Find out more about funding a claim.
We offer independent, expert legal advice and we can help you understand all of the options available to you. We have a number of offices across North Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire and serve clients across the wider Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset region. During that consultation, we will discuss your funding options, provide initial advice and outline the next steps of your case.
We are also happy to visit you in your own home.
At Wards, we pride ourselves on our joined-up approach. We can advise on making a Will or a Lasting Power of Attorney, and we can refer you for independent financial advice once settlement is reached.
Get in touch
For a free initial discussion, please call Richard Green on 01275 858515 or email us at asbestos@wards.uk.com.