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On 17th October 2007 the House of Lords held that asbestos related
Pleural Plaques would no longer constitute a compensatable medical
condition.
Prior to this ruling a successful claim following a diagnosis of pleural
plaques guaranteed the person concerned a small compensation
payment. This gave the worker and his/her dependents security should
they develop one of the serious complications in later life. The insurers
would be identified and judgement obtained. If the worker then
developed a condition such as mesothelioma it would simply be a
question of quantifying the claim.
Asbestos exposure for most workers occurred over
25 years ago. Many of the firms which employed them have gone into
liquidation. Considerable time has to be spent in identifying defendants
and then carrying out searches and enquiries to locate their insurers.
This is especially true in the construction industry were companies can be
relatively short-lived and periods of employment can be brief.
UCATT hopes the UK Government will follow the Scottish
Parliament lead and bring forward fresh legislation to reverse the Lords
decision and that any compensation for
contracting Pleural Plaques will not be considered full and final should a
person later suffer from further asbestos related disease.
- Pleural Plaques are a scarring of the lungs caused by heavy
and prolonged exposure to asbestos.
- On 17th October 2007 the House of Lords ruled that Pleural
Plaques would no longer be a compensatable medical condition.
- The insurance industry has been lobbying for years to remove
...Pleural Plaques as a compensatable industrial disease in order to
...reduce payments.
- There can be up to two decades between a diagnosis of Pleural
Plaques and the onset of other asbestos related diseases.
- Before the House of Lords ruling a prior diagnosis of Pleural
Plaques meant that, if a victim later developed the incurable lung
disease mesothelioma, the victim could receive compensation
before their death.
- The Lords ruling will now mean that most mesothelioma victims
...will not receive compensation during their lifetime, increasing
...their mental and physical suffering.
Please fill out the form below to email the Rt Hon Jack Straw MP Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice & your local Labour MP to ask them to support the UCATT campaign.
You can also click here to download flyers to distribute in you workplaces or contact UCATT direct to order postcards.
UCATT
177 Abbeville Road
London
SW4 9RL
Tel 0207 622 2442
Email: bsumner@ucatt.org.uk
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