Personal Injury Compensation Claims relating to Asbestos injuries made against the Ministry of Defence

Asbestos and its use by the Ministry of Defence

Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring minerals which were frequently used during the 1950's, 1960’s and 1970’s in manufacturing, construction and shipbuilding.

Asbestos was used so widely because it was non-flammable, flexible, virtually indestructible and low heat-conducting. It was perfect for use in the fireproofing of ships for example; therefore, many military personnel came into contact with asbestos over the years.

Although asbestos was very useful, it was very dangerous too. Asbestos is made up of millions of fibres and when the fibres escape into the air as dust they can be inhaled into the lungs and this is very dangerous.

Asbestos Related Diseases

If you worked for the Ministry of Defence while asbestos was still being used, you should be alert now as the length of time which has passed since your exposure makes it more likely that symptoms will present themselves. You can also contract an asbestos related disease after coming into contact with your husband’s / father’s overalls / uniform he wore whilst working with asbestos.

There are many different types of asbestos related conditions and they each vary in severity. The conditions include Pleural Plaques, Pleural Thickening, Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer and Asbestosis.

Regardless of which of these conditions you have contracted (with the exception of pleural plaques), if it can be proven that you were exposed to the asbestos due to the negligence of the Ministry of Defence then you may be able to make a personal injury claim for compensation unless you were a serving member of the armed forces.

The chance of developing an asbestos-related illness from a one-off incident of low level exposure is not impossible but very unlikely.

One point to remember is that the earlier an asbestos related disease is diagnosed, the better the condition can be monitored or treated. X-Rays, scans and lung-function tests can diagnose an asbestos related disease and monitor its progression.

Compensation Claim Advice

If you were employed within the Armed Forces and were exposed to asbestos which later caused an asbestos related disease to develop you may be able to make a compensation claim. If the exposure was after 1987 (when the Crown Proceedings Act removed the “Crown Immunity”, which prevented Military Personnel from making personal injury compensation claims against the Ministry of Defence), you will be entitled to make a claim. This would be dealt with in the same way as a civilian would make a claim against their employer.

If the exposure was before 1987, you would not be able to make a personal injury compensation claim; however, you may be entitled to claim a War Pension or a make a claim under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

If you or someone you know has developed an asbestos related disease, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.

Thompsons Solicitors have also written an information page with advice for people who have recently been exposed to asbestos but have not been diagnosed with a related illness.

There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim.  For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.

Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Thompsons Solicitors to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.