Occupational Asthma Claims

Asthma is a common condition that affects people of all ages in the UK. There are many potential causes of asthma, including inadequate working conditions resulting in an exposure of dust, vapour, gases or fumes.

If you or a loved one have developed asthma due to conditions at work, or your pre-existing condition has worsened, this is known as occupational asthma or industrial asthma.

Those who have developed occupational asthma may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. An occupational asthma claim can be used to make sure that you have the financial support you and your family need for the present and future. This will include making sure that you have access to the highest standard of medical care and rehabilitation services, as well as replacing any lost income.

Book your free initial consultation with our occupational asthma solicitors

If you have been diagnosed with occupational asthma, our solicitors will be happy to hold a free initial conversation about how we can help. Contact our specialist occupational asthma claims solicitors today by calling 01752 648870 or filling in our enquiry form on the right-hand side of the page.

Navigating this page:

How our occupational asthma claims solicitors can help
Our expertise with occupational asthma claims
How to claim for occupational asthma compensation
Common questions about occupational asthma compensation claims

How our occupational asthma claims solicitors can help

Our team will work alongside you to build the strongest possible case to support your claim for occupational asthma compensation. This will typically include gathering evidence that proves your condition, demonstrates that you developed asthma at work, and your employer was negligent.

Making an occupational asthma claim might seem like an overwhelming prospect at first. Our solicitors will make sure to keep the process as straightforward as possible at all times so that you understand what steps need to be taken and what you need to do.

If you need advice on your position and what making a claim would likely involve, we offer a free initial consultation with our team. Please get in touch to find out more about how we can help you with your claim.

Our expertise with occupational asthma claims

Our occupational asthma solicitors support individuals and their families who have developed the condition after working in a wide range of industries, such as:

Vehicle spray painting
Manufacturing
Metal production
Construction and demolition
Baking and flour mills
Carpentry
Agriculture
Chemical production
Gasworks
Coalmining
Sandblasting
Plastering
Industrial cleaning
Rubber industry
Health and beauty
Working with animals

Occupational asthma is a complex condition. Under normal circumstances, it will be necessary to make a claim within three years of being exposed, or the date you could have reasonably been expected to know that your asthma was due to your work conditions. However, in cases where you are only just realising that your asthma may be linked to your occupation, we may be able to help.

We can also support you in making a claim if the employer responsible for your exposure has since gone out of business. We have the skills and resources to trace the relevant insurer for the time of exposure to secure compensation.

At Wolferstans, we act as a local firm, providing a local touch. Even so, we have experience in working with clients across the country and have contact with experts in all regions.

Our expertise is reflected by our team being on the Law Society’s Personal Injury Panel and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) Panel.

We also have specific expertise in handling instances of asbestos-related illnesses.

How to claim for occupational asthma compensation

Establishing whether you can make an occupational asthma claim

It is important that you clearly establish your position and whether making a claim for occupational asthma will be possible. This is something our specialist solicitors will be able to help you with.

We have many years of experience in dealing with a wide range of personal injury claims. As such, we know what will be needed to build a strong claim, including the type of evidence that will need to be gathered.

Making sure that you get the maximum available compensation

Securing the maximum available compensation for your case will, of course, be incredibly important to you and your family.

When handling an occupational asthma claim, our team will strive to ensure that all of your needs are fully considered and the ways asthma has affected your life are taken into consideration.

We can assist with claiming compensation for matters including:

The financial impact of occupational asthma – e.g. lost income, paying for medical fees, nursing fees, etc.
The personal impact – e.g. pain and suffering, no longer being able to carry out activities you were previously able to (known as ‘loss of amenity’) and the time it takes your family to care for you.

The compensation available can cover both the impact to date and the expected future impact of occupational asthma.

Claiming occupational asthma compensation where an employer has ceased trading

Claiming occupational asthma compensation is possible, even if the employer responsible for your condition developing or worsening is no longer trading. Wolferstans’ specialist occupational asthma solicitors can trace the relevant insurer for the time of your exposure, which will be the basis of your claim.

This can be a complicated process, demonstrating the importance of having an experienced solicitor by your side to assist you.

Securing early payments to cover medical costs, hospice fees and more

We frequently work with specialist medical and nursing experts to provide our clients with the best possible service.

Where appropriate, we will seek early payments to fund any care, equipment or home adaptations that may be required due to your occupational asthma diagnosis.

Common questions about occupational asthma compensation claims

Occupational asthma is a lung condition which is caused after exposure to airborne irritants in a workplace environment. It can lead to breathing difficulties, coughing, chest tightness and more.

Occupational asthma can be caused by a wide range of irritants and allergens. Exposure to these irritants could be avoidable in many instances and employers could be at fault if they failed to protect their employees, such as not carrying out risk assessments or providing the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE).

Occupational asthma is often reversible, which means that symptoms can go away over time if the irritants causing the exposure are avoided or eradicated. However, in some cases, the damage can be permanent, especially where the exposure was prolonged.

Proving occupational asthma will typically rely on evidence that illustrates your condition, and that the actions (or inaction) of your employer were directly linked to this. Medical tests can confirm that your asthma is related to your workplace environment, such as allergy testing.

It is difficult to estimate exactly how much compensation you could receive for occupational asthma, as there will usually be various factors at play.

Our occupational asthma solicitors will work alongside you to review the circumstances of your case, ensuring that your claim reflects the impact the condition has had on you and your loved ones.

The process of working out how much compensation you are entitled to is known as ‘assessing quantum of damages’ or ‘assessing quantum’.