Written Ministerial Statement – The Mesothelioma Act 2014 Scheme Payments

James Walsh, Partner and Head of the Asbestos Team at Wolferstans comments “This is generally good news to the limited persons entitled to damages under the Mesothelioma Act, but in my experience the figure of £123,000 still does not represent a fair and reasonable sum for someone diagnosed with the fatal disease of mesothelioma.  It is meant to represent 75% of an average civil compensation award, but my cases where I have represented mesothelioma sufferers since 1996 average around £200,000 (with a range between £130,000 to £350,000 depending on the individual circumstances) and 75% would equate to £150,000.  I expect it is another case of Insurers having the overriding influence in negotiations and playing with the lives of those with a death sentence”.