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Compensation for Scottish pleural plaques sufferers

13/01/2010

A leading industrial illness lawyer has welcomed a Court of Session decision that will allow Scottish sufferers of an asbestos-related condition to continue to claim damages but says many English victims still await a decision.

The defendants in Scotland had appealed against a law introduced last summer that enabled Pleural Plaques sufferers to make legal claims against the employers who negligently exposed them to asbestos. The legal challenge was today rejected by Court of Session Judge Lord Emslie.

But here in England the decision as to whether or not those who suffer with the condition will be compensated is yet to be made.

Geraldine Coombs, a Partner who specialises in asbestos related disease from the Manchester office of law firm Irwin Mitchell said: “We strongly welcome this decision which will allow sufferers of Pleural Plaques to continue to seek justice against their former employers.

“It will come as a great relief to many of our clients who are suffering from pleural plaques as a result of exposure to asbestos in Scotland but still we await a decision for those victims here in England.”

Pleural Plaques is a thickening of the lining of the lungs and is caused by exposure to asbestos.

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