More people die each year in Great Britain from asbestos diseases than from road accidents
There are currently in the region of 2000 deaths each year from Mesothelioma – a cancer of the lining of the lung – the only known cause of which is exposure to asbestos fibres
1% of all men born in the 1940s will die from mesothelioma
Every week 3 plumbers and 6 electricians die from mesothelioma in the UK.
There is at least an equal number of people with lung cancer which is caused by asbestos exposure
It can take between 15 and 50 years for the disease to take effect
At greatest risk are former skilled tradesmen – fitters, plumbers, electricians, carpenters etc but other professions are becoming increasingly common such as teachers and nurses.
Increasingly we are seeing wives develop mesothelioma from cleaning their husband’s dusty overalls or very young victims who were exposed as children from their father’s clothes.
Irwin Mitchell Solicitors
Irwin Mitchell is a leading UK law firm specialising in assisting victims of asbestos disease. They have 8 UK offices and an office in Marbella.
Guy Darlaston
Guy Darlaston is a partner in Irwin Mitchell and head of the specialist London Asbestos Disease Team who advise over 200 mesothelioma victims and their families each year and are currently acting for over 300 clients affecting by asbestos disease. Last year the London team alone recovered over £7 million (9.2 million euros) in compensation for their clients.
UK State Benefits
If someone has an asbestos disease caused by their employment, then they will be entitled to state benefits (which are not means tested) amounting in most cases to more than £200 (260 euros) per week. These benefits are still available to former UK nationals living in Spain provided they have paid sufficient national insurance contributions when they lived in the UK.
Compensation
If the guilty employer can be located (or their insurers if they have since gone bust), then it may be possible to claim compensation.
Compensation can be claimed during the victim’s lifetime or after their death (on behalf of their estate and dependants).
Most claimants are retired or nearing retirement (having been exposed in their teens or 20s). The value of each claim is dependant on the victim’s individual circumstances, income, expenses etc. The average claim is in the region of £130,000 (170,000 euros).
Legal costs
Their should be no cost to anyone taking advice from a specialist solicitor or pursuing a claim in England. Lawyers can recover their costs from the employer if they win the case. Their fees are paid separately and on top of any compensation recovered. To know more about it, contact Irwin Mitchell Abogados for more information on 902 150 105 or email at spainenquiries@irwinmitchell.com
Guy Darlaston and his team visit their clients at home. They provide assistance with completing application forms for state benefits and regularly assist in communicating with the health care professionals to quicken up the process. They also try to ensure the compensation claim is conducted swiftly and with as little inconvenience to their clients as possible.
Contact Numbers
Irwin Mitchell Abogados, Marbella – telephone - + 34 902 150 105
www.irwinmitchell.es
enquiries@irwinmitchell.com
More information about Asbestos