Seeger Weiss Blog
Seeger Weiss Blog: Legal News and Analysis

Category : Mesothelioma

UK Supreme Court Rules that Asbestos Victims be Compensated

October 14th, 2011

Yesterday the UK Supreme Court denied an appeal of a Scottish law, and  ruled that victims of asbestos exposure who develop pleural plaques should in fact be allowed to receive compensation for their harm. The insurance companies that brought the appeal argued that since pleural plaques don’t cause any symptoms, they should not have to pay the claims of those who claim to suffer from the condition. However, the Supreme Court sided with Scottish ministers who noted that pleural plaques can lead to more serious diseases like lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. As a result of the ruling, the insurance companies are likely to have to pay claimants between 7 and 9 million pounds (about 11 to 14 million dollars). One of the victims involved in this case, former shipyard worker John Ferguson said, “I now have pleural plaques and that hangs over my head. I’ve got to get on with my life, but I don’t know how much life I’ve got left in me – I’d like to see people higher up pay for this in some way.”

Both the effects of asbestos exposure and the difficulties of receiving just compensation persist in the United States as well. Click here to learn more about Seeger Weiss’ ongoing asbestos investigation.

Click here to watch the court’s decision and read the full BBC article.


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