Panel Will Provide Vital Legal Advice And Assistance To Patients And Their Families

National law firm Irwin Mitchell has been appointed to a new legal panel established by the charity Mesothelioma UK.

The new panel is set to improve access to specialist advice and support for the 2,500 or so people diagnosed with this cancer, caused by exposure to asbestos, every year.

The panel will enable those diagnosed with mesothelioma and their families to seek support from specialist solicitors across the country, ensuring access to civil claim payments and government compensation schemes. The lawyers will also offer guidance on a range of related issues and provide advice on the next steps.

Specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have supported many thousands of mesothelioma sufferers following diagnosis over the last 40 years, helping secure settlements for them or their families as well as enabling access to pioneering treatments to improve their quality of life.

Expert Opinion

"We have the sad privilege of representing many hundreds of people and their families diagnosed with mesothelioma every year and we are all too aware of the devastating impact this terrible illness can have.

We have worked with Mesothelioma UK since the charity was established and so we are delighted to join its new legal panel and help raise awareness of the charity and its vital work.

The formation of this legal panel will enable even more people to obtain the answers they need and the justice they deserve.

While we will continue to pursue both aims, the panel offers the perfect opportunity to further raise awareness of asbestos-related disease and the dreadful legacy the material has left behind, while continuing to fight for the best possible outcomes for mesothelioma patients.” Adrian Budgen - National Head of Asbestos and Occupational Disease

Launched in 2004, Mesothelioma UK is the leading charity supporting people diagnosed with the condition, which is uniformly fatal.  The charity is committed to improving care and treatment and provides specialist support, education and information to patients and their carers. The new legal panel will have a key role to play in supporting the charity’s aims.

Mesothelioma is a cancer, primarily of the lungs and abdomen, associated with asbestos exposure and while there is no known cure, early diagnosis and treatment can have a big impact on quality of life. Panel members will also assist the charity with fundraising and campaigns to promote greater awareness of the condition on a national level.

Several other specialist law firms have been appointed to the panel.