Welders, along with other similar workers such as strippers and fitters have, compared to the general population, an increased risk of developing an asbestos-related illness such as mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer.
Although the majority of asbestos-related illnesses affect the respiratory tract, asbestos fibres are also known to cause cancer in other areas of the body, including the larynx, ovaries, pharynx, stomach and colorectum.
For more information about asbestos claims for welders with Thompsons Solicitors call 0800 0891 331 to speak with us today.
Welder industrial claims
Although the risk of asbestos-related disease among welders is particularly high – there is an increased risk of asbestos mortality compared to the general population – there are also other industrial illnesses welders might suffer from. These include melanoma of the eye, Welders' Lung and Siderosis of the lung.
Shipbuilding – a tragic legacy
Scotland was at the forefront of shipbuilding in Europe during the twentieth century, with Inverclyde, Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire and Glasgow City among the areas where the industry was at its most prominent and profitable.
However, the boom years of shipbuilding in Scotland marked a terrible and hidden secret – asbestos and asbestos-related illness.
Even today shipyard workers such as welders are developing illnesses and conditions such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and pleural plaques.
This is despite the fact that it is decades since the heyday of asbestos, which officially came to an end with 1987's Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations.
Claims for pleural plaques
In 2009, Scotland passed the Damages Act, overriding a 2007 House of Lords ruling and allowing compensation for people who have developed pleural plaques as a result of workplace asbestos exposure. This piece of legislation was confirmed in April 2011 when insurers failed in an appeal against its legality.
Did you suffer exposure as a welder?
Welders in Scotland's shipyards, oil refineries and industrial workplaces frequently worked with asbestos, whether it was used to lag pipes or was present in the atmosphere as a result of other insulation processes. Welders also used asbestos-containing welding rods. Employers frequently failed to ensure any personal protective equipment.
There is no doubt that asbestos has caused tens of thousands of fatalities since the 1970s and the number is not expected to peak for some time yet – while experts predict that the asbestos epidemic will finally take its last life at some time around 2050.
And mesothelioma, pleural plaques and asbestosis are not the only respiratory diseases that welders suffer from; the lung cancer risk is 26% higher in welders than in the general population.
Thompsons Solicitors asbestos claims
If you have an asbestos-related illness you may be able to claim compensation provided your diagnosis was in the past three years. It is also possible to claim if you are a close family member or dependent of someone who has passed away.
Thompsons Solicitors can help secure settlement even in instances where the former employer has gone out of business and it is necessary to trace the relevant liability insurer. We are the outstanding firm of our kind in the UK and have vast databases of information, including details of insurers, witnesses and company practices – all of which is of invaluable benefit in assisting your claim.
The right to compensation for mesothelioma and other asbestos cancers is well established; for example, it is true that many workers used to have ‘snowball' fights with the substance – employers knew of this as well as the risk it presented: there is a clear case for compensation.
So whether the claim relates to a period of employment as a welder of other worker, Thompsons' personal injury solicitors can help you achieve the fullest possible amount of compensation.
There are over 4,700 asbestos deaths in the UK each year, with experts predicting that the total number will reach 90,000 by 2050. Although an asbestos claim cannot turn back the clock, it can at least achieve some justice, recognition and practical help in the fallout. Call 0800 0891 331 to speak with Thompsons Solicitors today.
Photo © William Franklin via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Photo @ Sue Hasker via Flickr under Creative Commons
