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Asbestos Diseases

We have unrivalled experience in helping current and retired trade union members secure compensation for asbestos diseases.

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Asbestos Disease Compensation

In 1972, Thompsons Solicitors brought the first successful claim for compensation involving asbestos-related disease to the House of Lords, with the backing of the trade union and labour movement. 

Our specialist asbestos litigation team has supported tens of thousands of trade union members who were, through the course of their employment, exposed to asbestos and later diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease.

Claims made via your union legal service are completely free of charge and you will receive 100% of any compensation secured - unlike high street law firms who will make a deduction from your award.

Charlie was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2011. We identified when and how Charlie was exposed to asbestos to successfully settle his claim.

Trusting Thompsons Solicitors with your asbestos claim

Thompsons Solicitors is a member of the Mesothelioma UK Legal Panel, which recognises the firm’s significant expertise in fighting for the rights of asbestos victims.

Our expert team of asbestos lawyers has a proven track record of pursuing asbestos compensation claims against employers and insurance companies liable for exposing their workers to asbestos.

We have the UK’s largest asbestos register, where people record when and where they were exposed to asbestos. This gives us unique insight into the most common places of asbestos exposure, and means we have the contact details of potential witnesses to help support your claim.

The register also allows us to trace the insurers of companies that have long-since gone out of business or have been incorporated under different names, to bring a claim against them instead. Even if you can’t remember where you were exposed to asbestos, our experienced lawyers can help you find this out so you can make a claim.

We can also use the register to support the loved ones of people who have sadly passed away from an asbestos-related disease. The register can help us identify where your family member may have been exposed, so that we can bring a claim on their behalf.

We continue to campaign alongside trade unions to raise awareness of the ongoing legacy of asbestos-related illness and to support trade union members who have been diagnosed with conditions including mesotheliomapleural thickeninglung cancer and asbestosis to secure compensation and legal redress.

“Thompsons were fantastic. They sat down with me and went through my employment history in detail to help work out exactly when I had been in contact with asbestos and that meant I could make a compensation claim.”

Charlie asbestos union client

What trade union members should know about asbestos-related disease claims

Asbestos diseases include (but are not limited to) mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer and pleural thickening. They are typically caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust.

Boiler makers, carpenters, construction workers, electricians, fitters, joiners, plumbers and ship builders, working between 10 and 40 years ago, are among those who are most likely to have been exposed to asbestos dust at work. However, they are by no means the only ones. Firefighters, police officers, members of the armed forces and teachers are also professions which can be associated with asbestos exposure.

The family members of people working in these industries are also at risk, as asbestos dust was often brought into the home on workers’ clothing.

Given how widely asbestos was used, it is unsurprising that a wide range of people may have been exposed – including those who lived or played near an area where asbestos existed.

Asbestos illnesses can take up to 40 years to develop from the time of exposure, so a diagnosis can often come as a shock. Our asbestos lawyers understand how difficult this diagnosis can be for you and your family, and will do all we can to help. We will fight for you to receive compensation and help you access additional support.

Making an asbestos disease claim through your union membership not only gets you access to experts in the field, but is also entirely free of charge and you will keep 100% of your compensation – unlike high street solicitors and claims companies which will take a portion of the amount awarded.

Yes. If you were a member of a union at the time you were exposed to asbestos, you should be able to access legal advice and representation for an asbestos disease compensation claim from your union’s legal team, even if you are no longer a member. If you cannot remember which trade union you were a member of, contact us on 0800 0 224 224 and our asbestos disease solicitors will be able to help you.

Yes. If you are a trade union member, you can start an asbestos disease claim with us, free of charge, regardless of who your employer was at the time you were exposed. Our asbestos disease specialists have successfully secured compensation for trade union members in the shortest possible time, for those who have fallen ill after asbestos exposure often decades earlier. 

Yes, you can. Due to the severity of many asbestos-related illnesses, family members often need to assume responsibility for an asbestos disease compensation claim on behalf of a loved one.

Our asbestos disease lawyers have helped many people successfully secure asbestos disease compensation for deceased loved ones who were trade union members. If your relative was a trade union member before they died, or at the time of their exposure, our asbestos disease specialists can explain what steps you need to take to make an asbestos disease compensation claim on their behalf.

You will need to make a claim within three years of your loved one’s passing, or three years from the time you were made aware their death was as a result of an asbestos-related disease, so don’t delay in contacting us.

Call us on 0800 0 224 224 today or fill in our online claim form for more information. We’ll then get back in touch with you to discuss your claim within 24 hours.

There is a standard three-year limit on personal injury compensation claims in the UK, but in the case of asbestos-related illnesses that period starts from the day of diagnosis. If you are in doubt about whether you are within the allotted time period to start a claim, call us for advice on 0800 0 224 224.

The length of an asbestos disease compensation claim varies according to their complexity. However, our asbestos disease claim specialists have successfully helped tens of thousands of union members make asbestos-related disease claims and will work to ensure you get the maximum amount of compensation as quickly as possible. We make it a priority to settle the claim during the lifetime of the affected person wherever possible, without compromising on the level of compensation or legal redress.

A variety of factors are considered when calculating the amount of money awarded to someone with an asbestos-related disease, such as the amount of pain or suffering they experience, costs incurred directly and indirectly as a result of their condition, and the impact the illness has on their daily life and that of their family - now and in the future. We secure millions of pounds in compensation every month for victims of asbestos-related diseases.

It is still possible to investigate a claim even if you have a history of smoking. Get in touch so we can investigate your claim and establish what help we may be able to offer.

No - we want to make the process as easy as possible for you.

You will need to provide us with a detailed account of your working life, so we can identify where you were exposed to asbestos, and you will need to sign your statement to tell us it is correct.

However, once you have given us this information, you can nominate a family member to manage the claims process on your behalf.  

We also understand that travelling may be difficult for you. We can speak over the phone or via video call and, if it is safe to do so, we can come to your home or any other location of your choosing.

Praise from the Legal 500

"Thompsons are the stand-out firm for trade union representation. Their work in the fields of employment and personal injury continue to provide a unique customer focused service for injured claimants.

"With a strong trade union client base and commitment to social justice, Thompsons provides a formidable personal injury practice. The team is known for excellent client care and technical knowledge in specialist areas within personal injury and clinical negligence litigation."