Pneumoconiosis Compensation Claims
If you have suffered from pneumoconiosis and believe your illness was due to your working environment, we can help you make a claim for compensation. At JMW, we are highly experienced in dealing with cases of this nature and understand the true extent of these types of chronic lung conditions. We can provide the support you need to make sure your claim is a successful one.
Contact the JMW industrial disease team today to find out more about how we can help. Simply call us on 0345 872 6666 or complete our online enquiry form and a member of the team will give you a call back at a time convenient for you.
What Our Clients Say
How JMW Can Help
If you want to make a pneumoconiosis claim, JMW is best placed to help. We have years of experience and medical knowledge behind us and will provide expert guidance every step of the way. Our experts know that things can be difficult for those dealing with the symptoms of pneumoconiosis or a related condition. We will take on the legal responsibility for your claim and push for compensation on your behalf, to give you more time to manage your condition and help you avoid any stress arising from legal proceedings.
JMW's extensive experience in making industrial disease claims for chronic lung disease claims arising from negligent exposure in the workplace means we understand the implications of these types of conditions and are fully committed to helping sufferers secure the compensation to which they are entitled.
What Is Pneumoconiosis?
Pneumoconiosis refers to a group of industrial lung diseases that are caused by the inhalation and retention in the lungs of hazardous dust. Sufferers may fall ill after working in the mining industry and inhaling dust from coal, but pneumoconiosis can also develop following the inhalation of asbestos, carbon or silica.
It can also be caused by products commonly used in the cotton and iron industries. Sufferers can be left in pain, with difficulty breathing and a reduced ability to carry out even the simplest of day-to-day tasks.
The condition can take a number of years to develop; sometimes more than ten years. This means that if you are suffering from the condition, its onset may date back to a job or career you pursued prior to your current role.
Pneumoconiosis cases can be broadly categorised into several types of disease:
- Asbestosis
- Byssinosis
- Berylliosis
- Silicosis
- Coal worker's pneumoconiosis
- Kaolin pneumoconiosis
- Siderosis
For more information on pneumoconiosis, visit the HSE website.
FAQs About Pneumoconiosis Compensation Claims
- What are the symptoms of pneumoconiosis?
The main symptom of pneumoconiosis is shortness of breath. Severity differs from person to person and could range from struggling for breath when taking part in strenuous exercise to more serious breathing difficulties even when undertaking everyday tasks, such as walking the dog.
Other symptoms include:
- Tight feeling in the chest
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
Chronic pneumoconiosis can contribute to the development of other conditions, including:
- Cyanosis
- Emphysema
- Bronchitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
As such, it should be taken very seriously even if symptoms are mild to begin with. A compensation claim can help you to pay for medical expenses and get the best possible treatment. Pneumoconiosis compensation can also account for the suffering endured as a result of your health conditions, which should have been prevented by your employer.
- Which occupations are most at risk?
Some of the jobs most commonly associated with high levels of risk when it comes to developing conditions linked with pneumoconiosis include:
- Asbestos removal
- Ironworkers
- Coal mining
- Quarrying
- Foundry workers
- Road and building construction
- Stone cutting
- Sandblasting
Pneumoconiosis commonly arises from inhaling silica dust, coal dust and other substances that can arise in particular industries. Employers must take reasonable steps to minimise the risk of exposure to dust, even outside of these industries. All employers have a responsibility to monitor risks and take action to prevent or mitigate them where possible.
- How much compensation can a pneumoconiosis claim result in?
There are different options for those who have sustained silicosis, pneumoconiosis or a related illness to secure compensation. Pneumoconiosis compensation is often provided through government schemes, but you may also be able to make a civil claim against an employer. The compensation amount is based primarily on the severity of the disease, its effect on your life and, if you are claiming through a government scheme, your age and degree of disability. For civil claims, there are further factors that will also be taken into account.
The Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979 offers lump-sum payments to people diagnosed with certain dust-related diseases, including pneumoconiosis, who are unable to claim civil damages from their employers. The payment amounts are determined by the age of the claimant and the degree of disability. There is also a scheme specifically for coal miners (the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme) and one for individuals who have been diagnosed with diffuse mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos (the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme).
Aside from these schemes, you may be able to claim directly against an employer if you can prove that their negligence led to your illness. As well as the pain, suffering, and loss of amenity caused by your illness, your pneumoconiosis compensation will cover financial losses, the costs of medical treatment, travel expenses and other outgoings related to the illness. For example, if black lung or emphysema affected your ability to work, the potential earnings you lost could be added to the compensation award.
Talk to Us
Contact the industrial disease team at JMW today to start your claim. Either call us on 0345 872 6666 or complete our online enquiry form and we will get back to you as soon as possible to discuss your claim in more depth.
