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News Desk | News Story
10th September 2007
The TUC is supporting Thompsons Solicitors’ campaign, Justice for Asbestos Families, which highlights the injustice in the way compensation for bereavement is awarded to families who have lost a relative to mesothelioma, a fatal cancer of the lining of the lung caused by asbestos.
The campaign comes after it was revealed families in England and Wales are receiving tens of thousands of pounds less in compensation than their Scottish counterparts.
It highlights an injustice in the way compensation for bereavement is awarded to families who have lost a relative to mesothelioma, a fatal cancer of the lining of the lung caused by asbestos.
In England and Wales the level of compensation is set at £10,000 by law and is only payable to the spouse of the deceased. In Scotland payments up to £30,000 have been made to bereaved widows.
Not only widows but other family members in Scotland also receive bereavement compensation of between £10,000 to £15,000 each.
The campaign calls for a change in the way payments are assessed so families across the UK are treated equally.
Many mesothelioma sufferers were exposed to asbestos while in the workplace during the 1960s and 1970s. The disease can lie dormant for decades and once diagnosed patients have just months to live.
In the past the TUC has campaigned for asbestos victims rights including a bid to make sure victims received access to an occupational health expert.
It has also campaigned to speed up the allocation of compensation to victims and their families.
A TUC report has said asbestos will be responsible for more than 10,000 deaths a year by 2020.
The Justice for Asbestos Families petition can be found at www.thompsons.law.co.uk/campaigns/justice-for-asbestos-families.htm and copies are available to sign at the TUC Congress 2007.
The campaign has already been supported by MPs in parliament and the petition has received hundreds of signatures.
Thompsons head of asbestos policy, Ian McFall said: “We are calling for the law to be changed in England and Wales to give families the right to act against a sense of grievous injustice.”
ӣ10,000 is a derisory sum for the grief caused by the death of a close family member. Whole families suffer terribly when they lose a loved one to mesothelioma. They carry the emotional burden with them the rest of their lives.
“We ask congress delegates to sign the petition in support of this campaign.”
In England and Wales the amount of compensation paid to bereaved spouses is fixed at £10,000 by the Fatal Accidents Act 1976.
However, in Scotland the level of bereavement payments are decided by the courts and each family is considered individually. In Scotland bereavement compensation can be paid to the spouse, children, siblings, grandchildren and parents of the deceased.
This story has also been published by ASLEF, The North West Evening Mail, The Shields Gazette and The Sunderland Echo.
If you or someone you know has developed Mesothelioma or any other asbestos related disease, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.
There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.
Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Thompsons Solicitors to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online compensation claim forms.