We Must Help Sick and Dying Workers

One of the new government's top priorities must be providing a system to help sick and dying workers claim the compensation to which they're entitled, according to the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

Deadly Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer which results from exposure to asbestos dust and it kills its victims within 18-24 months of diagnosis. The disease does not become apparent until between 30 and 40 years after exposure, presenting victims with problems when it comes to claiming for compensation.

Normally, such victims would take civil action, making a claim against the insurers which provided the employer's liability cover to the victim's employer. However, because of the long latency period associated with industrial diseases such as these, it is often the case that by the time the disease is discovered, the former employer has ceased trading and their insurance details are nearly impossible to find. This problem was recently highlighted on the Raleys Solicitors blog.

In an 'accessing compensation consultation' which ended at the beginning of May, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers called for the government to make a priority of setting up a fund of last resort to enable those people who cannot trace their employer's insurers to obtain some compensation. This is especially important because the severity of the disease dictates that time is limited.

The consultation also uncovered the need for a compulsory database of employers' insurance details to avoid the same problem befalling other victims of industrial cancer.

It is vital that the new database is governed correctly so that it can stand the test of time, to ensure that victims of industrial disease and their families are given the compensation they deserve