What can we take from the latest workplace disease figures?

Just like workplace accidents, it's an unfortunate fact of life that a certain number of workplace-derived illnesses will be recorded each year.

Although efforts are being ramped up to reduce the likelihood of people suffering from work-related cancers - a campaign led by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health aimed at curbing carcinogen exposure was launched in London earlier in November, for example - figures have shown that more employees in the UK are falling ill as a direct result of past exposure to asbestos.

The latest statistics released by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) indicate that as many as 1.2 million people who worked in the last year believe their illness was either caused or made worse by their occupation. Of this number, 500,000 were found to be new conditions that had been diagnosed during this particular 12-month period.

One of the more eye-catching statistics was that 2,535 people died from mesothelioma in 2012, having been exposed to asbestos in the past. This, according to the HSE, was a "substantial increase” on 2011, which suggests the issue is becoming more pronounced.

At Carrs Solicitors, we know that industrial diseases, especially those attributed to long-term asbestos exposure, are a big problem. We're not going to pretend that there's a silver bullet that will suddenly eradicate this issue - our job is to ensure workers and their families who have a legitimate claim for redress are given all the help they need to secure a fair compensation package.

The HSE figures show there were 2,145 new cases of mesothelioma assessed for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) in 2013 compared with 2,125 in 2012 - a modest rise, though a rise nonetheless. All in all, there were 6,140 new IIDB cases last year, with two-thirds of this number made up by those who had contracted lung-related diseases.

It begs the question; are people now more aware of their rights, and more importantly, do they know the correct channels to go through in order to claim against their current or past employer?

Previously, there were various factors that deterred people from pursuing legal action. Either they felt they couldn't prove that they had developed their illness at work or they believed that their employer would overpower them in any resultant case. Many potential claimants also had the idea that their case would drag on for a long time.

Thankfully, the growing number of successful claims being publicised is helping to encourage people to go after the money they are entitled to. The increasingly swift way that these cases are being dealt with has also arguably made a difference.

Nobody wants to be left in limbo for a prolonged period, which is why the industrial disease experts at Carrs always endeavour to ensure your claim is handled quickly and effectively. It costs nothing to find out whether or not you might have grounds to claim for compensation, so you have nothing to lose.

Where some companies apply a one-size-fits-all approach to handling claims, our legal experts take great interest in your individual circumstances and explain exactly how much money your are entitled to, based on the severity of your illness, how your quality of life has been affected and how much you are likely to pay in rehabilitation and medical costs. They will also take you through the step-by-step process of launching a claim.

For more information, get in touch today on 0800 587 0746.