New compensation rules are now in place that will enable asbestos-related cancer sufferers to receive up to £54,000.
Under new rules for the Government’s Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme, compensation will rise to match 100% of average civil claims, up from the current 80% – which could mean an increase of up to £54,000 a person.
Diffuse mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of internal organs, such as the lungs, and almost always arises from exposure to asbestos. It takes a long time to develop - typically 15 to 40 years – but life expectancy from diagnosis is only between eight and nine months on average.
Though the majority of suffers are able to claim compensation through the liability insurance held by their employer, a significant minority cannot.
Due to the length of time between asbestos exposure and cancer diagnosis, many employers and their insurers no longer exist and so the liable successor organisations are often untraceable.
According to the Government, the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme has already paid out over £19 million in its first ten months. Hundreds of diffuse mesothelioma sufferers across the country unable to claim compensation as their employer or employer’s liability insurer is untraceable have already been helped.
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