The Legal and Medical magazine has reported on a new development in the ongoing legal wrangles over compensation for pleural plaques sufferers which has taken place in Northern Ireland. Lawyers acting on behalf of some of those affected by their exposure to asbestos have called for the Executive to launch a consultation into the issue, with a view to establishing a compensation scheme for sufferers.
Since the House of Lords ruling that pleural plaques sufferers could not claim compensation that was available to people affected by other asbestos related diseases, there has been considerable opposition across the UK. The Scottish Parliament is currently processing legislation to overturn the decision, which could mean that compensation becomes available for residents of Scotland, but not for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Northern Irish Executive is under pressure from lawyers of those exposed to asbestos, and from the pleural plaques sufferers themselves. However Association of Personal Injury Lawyers representative, Stephen Gray, cautioned against making the state responsible for the payments, particularly as many of the companies whose workers were exposed to asbestos will have had insurance policies designed to cover them against potential compensation claims.
At Camps Solicitors we monitor all developments related to pleural plaques, and to the wider asbestos related disease issue.
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