Asbestos related conditions include: mesothelioma – a particular form of cancer almost always associated with exposure to asbestos and always fatal.
Pleural thickening – can be disabling or produce significant physical symptoms.
Asbestosis – progressive crippling respiratory disease.
Lung cancer – in very limited circumstances only.
Pleural plaque – changes in the lung showing evidence of asbestos exposure which can be seen on x-rays. They are evidence of exposure to asbestos and of pathological change caused by it. They can indicate that the sufferer is at a small, but none the less at a real risk of developing a more serious asbestos related condition.
Some conditions associated with asbestos can also have other causes. E.g. lung cancer, which is associated with smoking, so it may be possible to prove that lung cancer was caused by asbestos but only in very limited circumstances.
It is important to stress that by no means everyone who has been exposed to asbestos dust – even in large quantities will develop an asbestos – related condition.
In Irish Law an asbestos victim must establish that their condition has been caused by negligence on the part of their employers or someone else.
Defunct employers
Even if your employers have gone out of business or otherwise have ceased to exist it may still be possible to pursue a claim for compensation against them or their insurers.
For general queries about these issues please e-mail our firm at liammoloney@moloneysolicitors.ie or contact our office at 045 898000.
