Lawford Kidd's Blog

A new support scheme has been launched by the UK Government to help newly diagnosed victims of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of internal organs, such as the lungs, and is almost always the result of exposure to asbestos. It is always fatal, and sufferers can only expect to live around eight or nine months on average after diagnosis.

Claiming compensation for mesothelioma has often been a problem for sufferers because typically symptoms do not appear until 40 or 50 years after the exposure to asbestos has taken place. As a result, by the time a sufferer realises he or she has the condition, their employer may no longer be around to make a claim against.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a consultation on changes to the content of an Asbestos-related Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) that will consolidate two existing documents.

Following an initial consultation in June 2012, it was agreed by the HSE Board that a number of ACOPs would be revised, consolidated or withdrawn in line with the recommendation by Professor Ragnar Löfstedt in his report 'Reclaiming health and safety for all'.

For the ACOPs dealing with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012), L127 (The management of asbestos in non-domestic premises) and L143 (Work with materials containing asbestos), the proposal to consolidate the two ACOPs into a single revised ACOP (L143) was approved.

From 25th July, newly diagnosed victims of mesothelioma will receive help through a new support scheme, the Minister for Welfare, Lord Freud, and the Association of British Insurers have announced.

The new scheme will allow around 3,000 mesothelioma victims across the UK who are unable to claim compensation because they cannot trace a liable employer or employers’ liability insurer to receive approximately £300 million in payments in the first 10 years.

Although the majority of people are able to claim compensation through the employers’ liability insurance held by their employer, more than 300 mesothelioma sufferers a year currently lose out on compensation because they are unable to trace a liable employer or employers’ liability insurer.