Boilermakers were once an essential component of Scottish industry at a time when it powered prosperity and success.
Whether they were installing, maintaining, replacing or manufacturing boilers, they were at the heart of the steam power and heating which supported many industries, particularly shipbuilding.
If you worked as a boilermaker, pipefitter, boiler tender, steamfitter or engine room worker during the last century and have since received diagnosis of an asbestos illness, Thompsons Solicitors can help you ensure the best possible chance of compensation.
For advice and information regarding boilermaker asbestos claims, call us today on 0800 0891 331.
A painful legacy and a need for compensation
Throughout the twentieth century asbestos was frequently hailed as a ‘miracle' material, mainly because of its fire-resistant properties and effectiveness as an insulator.
However, its dangers were documented in detail as far back as the 1920s. Unfortunately, the powers behind a thriving and highly profitable Scottish shipbuilding industry took little notice of the many studies which provided conclusive links between asbestos and various lung diseases, including mesothelioma.
Boilermakers were among the tradespeople who suffered the most exposure to deadly asbestos fibres. This exposure, which was often both frequent and of a long duration, has led to high rates of asbestos related illnesses among boilermakers. Given that boilermakers spent large blocks of time cutting, filing and hammering asbestos, this is hardly surprising, especially when it is considered that many of those who worked with boilers did so in confined spaces and without sufficient ventilation. This situation was compounded by conditions in Scottish shipyards, where dampness and heat played a part in accelerating the erosion of asbestos components.
Even today, more than fifteen years since the ban on the importation, supply and use of asbestos in the UK, some boilermakers might encounter the substance on old boilers, while many more continue to receive new diagnoses of mesothelioma or asbestosis – in fact the asbestos illness epidemic is not expected to peak until 2020.
The leading personal injury firm in the country
If you or a close family member worked with asbestos-containing gaskets, packing, heat jackets, hand holes, furnace cements, tapes or sealants while repairing, maintaining, dismantling or making boilers you may be entitled to claim compensation for any resulting harm.
As the leading personal injury firm in the country, we are ideally placed to help you ensure a successful boilermaker asbestos claim. We have a large database of former employers, witnesses, witness statements, insurance companies and other useful information to ensure that your claim is dealt with as quickly and as confidently as possible.
Additionally, we have a team of medical specialists, including consultant physicians, pathologists and radiologists, who will be involved in your case. Given their high level of experience they might also assist those treating you in their diagnosis.
We also liaise closely with Clydeside Action on Asbestos the leading campaigning group representing sufferers and their families.
For more advice regarding your rights and choices, call us today on 0800 0891 331.
