Simple law change needed for victims

This week, a crucial campaign advocating for a straightforward change in the law will take centre stage in Parliament. The aim is to ensure that all victims of lung cancer resulting from workplace asbestos exposure receive equal treatment, particularly in terms of compensation. Each year, approximately 5,000 individuals succumb to cancers linked to asbestos in the workplace, making it the leading workplace killer in Great Britain, despite the substance being banned over 25 years ago.

The campaign is spearheaded by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), in collaboration with the Asbestos Victims Support Group Forum and Labour MP Douglas McAllister. Daniel Easton, an expert in asbestos disease cases at APIL, highlighted the disparity in treatment by stating, “Not all victims of cancers caused by exposure to asbestos are treated the same when it comes to compensation.” He further emphasised the injustice faced by lung cancer victims, explaining that this year marks two decades since the Compensation Act was enacted to provide full compensation to mesothelioma sufferers if they can trace just one former employer.

Easton lamented, “But victims of asbestos-related lung cancer, which is incredibly similar to mesothelioma, and caused by exposure at work, are not entitled to full compensation if they cannot trace all of the responsible employers, or the employers’ insurers. It’s desperately unfair and it’s time to right a wrong and change the law.”

Mr McAllister, MP for West Dunbartonshire and a proponent of the change, plans to raise awareness during an adjournment debate on Monday, 16 March. He noted, “My constituency is among the UK’s worst hotspots for deaths linked to a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos at work, with more than 340 deaths since 1980.” He underscored the need for immediate action on this issue, stating, “The Compensation Act 2006 made it easier for people diagnosed with mesothelioma to claim full compensation, with the need to find just one negligent employer rather than them all. But the Act does not apply to those suffering from asbestos-related lung cancer, and this injustice needs addressing so there is full and fair compensation for these victims.”

The upcoming debate presents a pivotal opportunity to champion the rights of thousands suffering from the effects of asbestos exposure in the workplace, and to seek lasting change in the realm of compensation for asbestos-related diseases.