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January 19th, 2005
A UK High Court is due to make a ruling next week with regards to shipyard asbestos compensation claims. The current level of compensation claims from this area runs into millions of dollars. Like mesothelioma, a deadly cancer caused by asbestos exposure, the effects of this toe of asbestos exposure can take decades to manifest, hence many more claims could arise in the future.
The High Court ruling will apply to those that have suffered pleural plaques due to occupational exposure to asbestos. Pleural plaques involve a scarring of the lung tissue, but are not usually painful or dangerous. However, sufferers have stated that having pleural plaques often leads to long term stress and worry, with sufferers fearing that they may also have contracted something more sinister, which could manifest in years to come.
The High Court ruling will take place towards the middle of next week, and if it goes through, insurance companies may no longer have to consider paying claims made for between £5,000 and £15,000 for this lung scarring condition. This could shave millions of pounds off the costs paid out by insurance companies, but is obviously bad news for those affected by these pleural plaques.
A leading legal authority on asbestos cases, Ian Mcfall, stated: “What is happening is the number of cases has been increasing and the bill to the insurance industry is increasing. Their bill for pleural plaques runs into millions of pounds each year.”
