Government review to charge Mesothelioma victims for leagal battles fail

Last Updated on October 7, 2014 by neilhardy

Government plans to deduct substantial fees from Mesothelioma sufferers damage payments has been shot down as well as being declared unlawful by a London judge.

If these plans had been put into place it would mean sufferers would mean the claimant would have to pay their instead of the losing party. This is especially cruel as with Mesothelioma the patient often dies before the case is complete.

The review that would have brought these changes about was refuted by The Asbestos Victims’ Support Groups Forum UK who called it a “back of a fag packet review” and it believes that the review was a result of a private deal with the ABI (Association of British Insurers).

Most of these claims occur some time after the exposure (in some cases around 50 years) and are always fatal, often within about 9 months, although people have survived 20+ years with the disease. The ruling enables Mesothelioma sufferers to seek compensation without fear of incurring large legal fees no matter what and also prevents 25% of awarded compensation going towards legal fees.

Mesothelioma accounts for about 2,500 of roughly 4,700 people who die in Britain due to asbestos and there is no cure or even an especially effective treatment. What’s worse is the fact that the affected could have been exposed once and then 40 years later they have terminal cancer.

Published Oct 07, 2014