Asbestos Disease Claims — Compensation for Asbestos Illness
Last reviewed: June 2026 · EA Personal Injury Solicitors
You can claim compensation for mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer or pleural thickening if you were exposed to asbestos through an employer's negligence. The three-year time limit normally runs from diagnosis, not exposure. Claims remain possible if the employer has closed, through its insurer or, for mesothelioma, the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme.
TL;DR — Quick Summary
Key Points
- Asbestos diseases can have a latency of 20-50 years between exposure and diagnosis
- Mesothelioma claims can be brought urgently — contact us as soon as diagnosis is confirmed
- Claims against defunct employers are possible via the employers' liability insurer
- The Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme provides compensation where no employer can be traced
- No win, no fee — if the claim succeeds, a success fee may be deducted from your compensation
Asbestos and Occupational Disease
Asbestos was widely used in UK industry throughout the twentieth century — in shipbuilding, construction, power generation, manufacturing and many other sectors. Its use was banned in 1999, but the legacy of decades of exposure continues to cause disease in thousands of people each year. The UK has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world, directly attributable to the heavy industrial use of asbestos in the post-war period.
Asbestos fibres, when disturbed, become airborne and can be inhaled deep into the lungs. Once lodged in lung tissue or the pleura (the lining surrounding the lungs), these fibres cause chronic inflammation and, over decades, can give rise to a range of serious conditions.
Asbestos-Related Diseases
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive cancer of the mesothelial cells lining the chest cavity (pleural mesothelioma) or abdominal cavity (peritoneal mesothelioma). It is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure and has an average survival of 12-18 months from diagnosis. Because of the seriousness of the condition and its short prognosis, we treat mesothelioma claims as urgent and can act very quickly to progress a claim.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a chronic, progressive scarring (fibrosis) of the lung tissue caused by heavy asbestos exposure. It causes breathlessness, reduced lung capacity, and can be life-limiting. Severity ranges from mild to severe depending on the extent of fibrosis.
Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer
Asbestos exposure significantly increases the risk of lung cancer. Smoking and asbestos exposure together act synergistically, multiplying risk. Claims are possible even where the person also smoked, with apportionment of liability as necessary.
Pleural Plaques
Pleural plaques are areas of thickening on the pleural lining and are a marker of past asbestos exposure. They do not themselves cause disease, and the House of Lords ruled in 2007 (Rothwell v Chemical and Insulating Co Ltd) that pleural plaques alone are not compensatable in England and Wales. However, they indicate exposure and should prompt legal advice given the risk of developing more serious conditions.
Pleural Thickening
Diffuse pleural thickening is a more extensive scarring of the pleural lining that can significantly restrict lung capacity and cause breathlessness. Unlike discrete plaques, diffuse pleural thickening can give rise to a compensation claim.
Tracing Historical Employers and Insurers
The Employers' Liability Tracing Office (ELTO) maintains a database of employers' liability insurance policies. We also use specialist tracing agents and our own experience in historical asbestos cases to identify insurers for long-defunct employers. In a significant proportion of cases, a paying defendant can be found even where the employer ceased trading decades ago.
No Win, No Fee Asbestos Disease Claims
We act under a Conditional Fee Agreement. If the claim fails, you pay nothing. If the claim succeeds, a success fee may be deducted from your compensation.