Industrial Disease Solicitors — Scotland

Industrial Disease Compensation

An overview of industrial disease compensation claims

A large number of personal injury compensation claims in Scotland don’t occur as a result of a one-off accident. Instead, a person’s exposure to certain things during the course of their employment can lead to industrial illnesses or work-related illnesses.

This can include being exposed to certain substances, such as dust fumes and chemicals, continually being exposed to environments with loud noises, or undertaking tasks which require the use of vibrating tools or repetitive processes at work.

Regardless of whether you are still employed by the company or the incident occurred sometime in your past work history, you can still make an industrial disease compensation claim within a specific time period. Our law firm will assess your industrial illness claim and assist you with court proceedings.

Common industrial illnesses

Some of the most common types of industrial diseases or work-related illnesses you can claim compensation for are:

Respiratory Diseases

The most widely reported and well-known types of occupational diseases are asbestos-related diseases. This includes asbestosis or mesothelioma, occupational asthma, lung disease like lung cancer, and silicosis.

These conditions can occur as a result of either the general working conditions, asbestos exposure or exposure to other dangerous substances that have not been properly controlled by the employer.

Employers have a legal obligation to keep workers safe. This means protecting them from harmful substances and providing proper safety gear when they’re dealing with dangerous materials.

We have extensive experience handling asbestos claims, which often involve complex legal and medical considerations. It’s important to note that a mesothelioma diagnosis can occur decades after the initial exposure, making these cases challenging.

Substance Exposure Illnesses

Hazardous substances can result in short or long-term illnesses and health conditions. These include conditions such as dermatitis, depending on the substance an individual has been exposed to and the quantity and frequency of exposure.

In the most severe industrial disease cases, exposure to certain chemicals, such as asbestos fibres, can have life-limiting and even fatal consequences. Our industrial disease lawyers are experienced in handling these cases.

Work-related Strain and Vibration

These injuries or conditions usually occur as a result of frequent exposure to vibrating power tools or as a result of a person’s work involving a repetitive process. The most common conditions arising from such exposure are Vibration White Finger (VWF), Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Employers have a responsibility to protect workers from exposure to equipment that might cause injuries, whether in the short or long term. Additionally, they must ensure that work is organised in a way that prevents employees from continuously performing the same activity, which helps reduce or eliminate the risk of developing a repetitive strain injury.

Industrial Deafness and Tinnitus

People working in a noisy environment using, for example, loud power tools, can suffer from reduced hearing, deafness or tinnitus (a condition that causes ringing in the ears).

Employers must offer protection against noise exposure by providing suitable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as ear defenders. They are also required to organise work in such a way as to reduce prolonged exposure to loud noise.

Symptoms of an industrial disease can often take a long time to develop, but it is important that you act when you think your workplace or unsafe working conditions may be affecting your health.

Our expert occupational disease solicitors in Scotland have the experience necessary to advise and guide you on your path to a successful industrial disease claim.

Making a Claim

How do I make an industrial disease compensation claim?

Making a compensation claim for industrial disease against your employer can often seem like a daunting process. However, if your employer has not fulfilled their duty to protect you and provide a safe working environment, you are legally entitled to seek justice and industrial disease compensation.

Here’s the process for making an industrial illness claim.

• Make a claim – Start by contacting Watermans for an initial consultation. We’ll listen to your experience, assess the details of your case, and explain how we can help you move forward.
• Gather evidence – We’ll help you collect all necessary documentation. This includes medical records, employment history, witness statements, and any other relevant information to support your case.
• Identify the employer responsible – Our team will determine who’s liable for your condition. Even if the exposure occurred while working for a previous employer, we can still pursue your claim against them.
• Notify the employer’s insurance company – Employer’s liability insurance is a legal requirement for most businesses in the UK. It covers compensation claims if employees get ill or injured at work. We’ll inform the insurance company handling your employer’s policy about your claim and begin negotiations.
• Negotiate compensation – We’ll work tirelessly on your behalf. Our goal is to secure maximum compensation for your suffering and any financial losses you’ve incurred due to your condition.

Watermans professional industrial disease solicitors have acted for a large number of clients who have developed a range of industrial diseases and work-related illnesses. Our team of personal injury specialist solicitors will be able to guide you through the industrial disease claim process.

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How Much Compensation?

How much compensation can I get for an industrial disease claim?

As with all personal injury claims, there is no definitive answer for how much compensation you could receive for industrial disease claims. This will depend on the severity of the personal injury case and how much your life will continue to be affected by living with an industrial disease.

Industrial disease claims can cover:

• Lost earnings – An industrial disease claim can help you recover both current and future loss of income. This includes wages you’ve already lost due to your illness and potential future earnings if your condition affects your ability to work long-term. For those with serious injuries or chronic conditions, this can be a significant part of the claim.
• Medical bills – Your claim can cover all medical expenses related to your condition. This includes costs for treatments, medications, therapy sessions, and any specialised equipment needed. We work with medical professionals to understand the full extent of your care needs, ensuring all necessary expenses are included in your claim.
• Home mobility aids – If your condition affects mobility, such as spinal cord injuries or severe respiratory issues, your claim can cover the cost of home modifications. This might include wheelchair ramps, stairlifts, or bathroom adaptations to help you stay independent at home.
• Pain and emotional suffering – Suffering from an industrial disease or workplace illness can be painful and debilitating and have a negative effect on your mental and emotional well-being. Compensation for physical pain and emotional distress caused by your condition is a key part of many claims for workplace illnesses.
• Travel expenses – This compensation can cover costs related to travelling to and from medical appointments, including parking fees and public transport costs.

Our goal is to secure compensation that fully reflects the impact of workplace negligence on your life. We’ll thoroughly investigate any breaches of health regulations that led to your condition, ensuring all aspects of your suffering are accounted for in your claim.

Start your financial compensation claim today with Watermans. Our industrial disease solicitors operate on a no-win, no-fee basis. That means that if we don’t win your claim for industrial diseases, you don’t have to pay any solicitors fees. It should be that simple.

Why Watermans?

Why should I choose Watermans to pursue my industrial disease claim?

Watermans are your modern personal injury law firm in Scotland. We make legal services look and feel easy so people can move forward in life.

Our expert team of industrial disease claims lawyers in Scotland is committed to doing everything to make the industrial disease claims process straightforward for our clients following an accident.

We take the hassle from you and fight each case to secure the maximum level of personal injury compensation in Scotland.

Trusted Personal Injury Lawyers in Scotland

We aim to ensure you recover from your injuries and industrial diseases as soon as possible and get your life back on track. We provide access to a range of additional services, such as physiotherapy and psychological treatment.

Our expertise in personal injury covers a wide range of areas, including:

• Accidents at work
• Public liability claims
• Road traffic accidents
• Fatal and serious injury claims
• Cases relating to abuse

Our industrial disease claims solicitors represent thousands of clients throughout Scotland each year, securing millions of pounds in compensation for our clients. We operate as no-win, no-fee solicitors in Scotland, which means that if your industrial disease claim is unsuccessful, you won’t end up out of pocket.