One of the hot topics that we have been following at Camps Solicitors is the compensation of people suffering from pleural plaques. In the past, if you were unfortunate enough to contract pleural plaques, then you would be able to claim compensation, usually from the owners of the building you were in when you were exposed. Unfortunately, last October, the House of Lords delivered a blow to these people when they ruled that, as pleural plaques normally have no symptoms, they are not an injury and therefore they cannot be compensated. Overnight, thousands of people who had been exposed to asbestos and had gone on to develop pleural plaques lost the chance to get compensated.
The trouble with the House of Lords ruling was that although pleural plaques don’t usually have any noticeable symptoms, they are a sign of exposure to asbestos, and they can be traumatic for sufferers who may go on to develop a more serious or life-threatening condition such as mesothelioma, which is incurable. Knowing you are at a greater risk of developing a serious medical condition because you have been exposed to asbestos can really impact on your life, affecting not only you but also your family.
The prospects for sufferers have been looking slightly better in England and Wales recently, with the announcement that the Ministry of Justice had published consultation on the provision of care and support for people with pleural plaques. But it is the Scottish Parliament that has gone furthest to reinstate compensation, with a new bill that once again will allow sufferers to bring a claim for damages. Hopefully this bill will influence decision makers south of the border, so that people exposed to asbestos through the negligence of either their employers or any other person will once again get some form of recompense.
Call 0800 092 8586
Speak to one of our claims advisors about your claim.
