Industrial Illness Ruling In Scotland

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.

Scottish insurers 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 insurers’ legal challenge was today rejected by Court of Session Judge Lord Emslie. Elaine Russell, partner in the Glasgow office of national law firm Irwin Mitchell, says the move was good news for Pleural Plaques sufferers.

“We strongly welcome this decision which will allow sufferers of Pleural Plaques – including many of our clients – to continue to seek justice against their former employers,” she added.

“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.”

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