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Changes to Asbestos Laws Result in Lower Payouts

A new asbestos law has recently been passed in the UK that will lead to compensation claimers receiving less than expected and will result in some cancer sufferers will receiving zero payout.

The change in law is partly a result of insurance companies petitioning to ‘water it down’ meaning that they policy will now only help a minority of the victims, with compensation payouts are 30% lower than the typical payout for asbestos cancer mesothelioma. The Association of British Insurers deny these allegations.

The law was originally introduced by the Labour Government to aid all those who have suffered from fatalities due to asbestos poisoning who could not find an insurer. The new legislation will now only benefit those with mesothelioma – this only makes up around 50% of asbestos related cases. The other half of conditions which include lung cancers or conditions will receive no compensation if they cannot find an insurer.

Exposure to asbestos currently causes the most fatalities in the workplaces of Britain, causing over 4,000 deaths each year. A spokesperson from a company who offers asbestos awareness training online explains that ‘it takes around fourty years on average for those who have inhaled asbestos particles to develop cancer. Deaths in the UK aren’t expected to peak until 2016. It’s essential to know the signs and be aware to help prevent these fatal illnesses from developing.’

The reception of the change in legislation has not been well received. Vicitms see the law change as an insult to those who have died as a result of employers’ negligence.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Barton .