Asbestos Related Illness

If you or a relative have been diagnosed with an Asbestos related condition then Berkleys Solicitors may be able to assist.

We have staff specialised in handling all types of asbestos related illness claims.

If we take on your case we will act on a no win, no fee agreement and ensure that you receive 100% of your compensation.

Our specialist personal injury team can also assist in ensuring that you receive any state benefits to which you may be entitled as a result of suffering from an Asbestos related illness.

Asbestos was widely used in a number of industries, such as mining, construction, and ship building. As a result, it is estimated that many thousands of people will be diagnosed with an Asbestos related illness in the coming years. As a consequence of working directly with asbestos, living next to a site where Asbestos was being used, or from coming into contact with Asbestos which was being carried on a relatives clothes.

There are a number of different types of Asbestos related illnesses which can be caused due to Asbestos exposure, such as pleural plaques, pleural thickening, asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.

Pleural plaques

Pleural plaques are patches of tough sinewy tissue which are formed on the inside of the chest wall and they show up in chest x-rays.

Until recently, pleural plaques were a condition for which you would be entitled to receive compensation. However, recent case law suggests that this condition itself no longer qualified for compensation.

Nevertheless, the condition is linked to asbestos exposure. If you have been diagnosed with pleural plaques contact us now, and we will be happy to advise you as to any future claims which you may have.

If you have been diagnosed with any asbestos related illness contact us now to see how we can help.

Pleural Thickening

Asbestos related pleural thickening is what occurs when the lining of the lung, the pleura, hardens as a reaction to asbestos fibres. It can develop on one or both of the lungs. In severe cases it can restrict breathing. There is no cure for pleural thickening and it can reduce the quality of life with extreme cases being potentially life threatening. It is an indicator of previous asbestos exposure and may be a precursor to other asbestos diseases.

If you have been diagnosed with pleural thickening contact us now.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a condition involving scarring of the lungs that progresses even when exposure to asbestos is discontinued. It can cause breathlessness and a dry cough which can leave a significant disability which can be fatal.

Asbestosis develops in people who have been heavily exposed to asbestos, such as miners, workers in asbestos factories, and workers who handle building and insulation materials. The period from first exposure to development of the disease is rarely less than 10 years and is usually much longer. Asbestosis increases the risk of developing lung cancer. Asbestosis is a prescribed disease entitling the sufferer to industrial injury benefit.

If you have been diagnosed with Asbestosis contact us now.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused only by exposure to asbestos dust. It grows on the lining of the lung, gut or very occasionally in the lining of the pericardium (the cavity in the chest where the heart sits). Sadly, sufferers tend to die within six to eighteen months following diagnosis.

During this time sufferers of Mesothelioma will require a high level of care, and they will be entitled to compensation for this, in addition to damages for the pain and suffering they go through.

The disease is sometimes noticed first by a build up of fluid in the area being affected, known as an effusion. This condition can be caused by other diseases such as an infection. The usual treatment is to drain the fluid and check it for any cancer cells.

Otherwise the disease is recognised when a patient reports pain to their GP and a growth is noticed on an x-ray or during a post mortem.

If you have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma contact us now.

Lung Cancer

Studies show an increase in lung cancer among workers exposed to asbestos.

Most asbestos lung cancer starts in the lining of the bronchi, the tubes into which the trachea or windpipe divides. However, asbestos lung cancer can also begin in the bronchi, or alveoli or lung air sacs. Although lung cancer usually develops slowly, once it occurs, cancer cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body.

Early-stage asbestos lung cancer may be symptomless. The methods used to diagnose asbestos lung cancer include imaging tests, biopsies, and taking phlegm samples.

If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer contact us now.

We have a specialist team who can assist you if you have been diagnosed with some sort of condition or illness which has been caused by your working environment.

Unfortunately, even today many people are exposed to working conditions which can affect their health due to their employers not taking adequate care for their health and safety.

For example, if you have worked in a noisy environment, without being provided with adequate hearing protection, it may be that your hearing has been damaged.

Similarly if you have been exposed to pneumatic tools for prolonged periods without proper protection you may be suffering from conditions such as vibration white finger or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Your employers are also under a duty to protect you from harmful chemicals as exposure to particular chemicals can cause problems such as dermatitis, asthma, or in the worst cases even cancer.

Even if you were exposed to these working conditions a number of years ago, it may still be possible to claim.

If you have been exposed to such working conditions and have subsequently developed health problems contact us to see if we can assist in recovering compensation for you.

Accidents at Work

Many of our clients have been injured at work due to their employers failing to take proper care for their health and safety.

Accidents at work can be caused in a number of ways, such as;

•  Lifting heavy or awkward loads;

•  Using defective or broken work equipment;

•  Lack of training or supervision;

•  Lack of adequate protective equipment;

•  Falling from height, or being hit by falling objects;

•  Injured by the actions of a colleague;

If you have been injured as a result of an accident at work, we may be able to assist you recovering compensation for your injuries. We'll ensure that you don't lose out financially as a result of being unable to work. We'll also recover any other losses or expenses which you may have incurred.

If we take on your case we will act on a no win, no fee agreement and ensure that you receive 100% of your compensation.

We may also be able to arrange private medical treatment to assist in your recovery from your accident, and help get you back to work as soon as possible.

If you have had an accident at work which you feel was not your fault, then contact us and see how we can assist.

Road Traffic Accident

One of the most common causes of personal injury cases are road traffic accidents.

Whether or not you were a driver of a vehicle, a passenger in a vehicle, or a pedestrian who has been injured due to the fault of another, we may be able to help you in recovering personal injury compensation .

We have staff highly experienced in dealing with compensation claims by the victims of road traffic accidents.

Even if the person that injured you had no insurance or you have been unable to trace the vehicle which caused your accident, we can help.

If we take on your case we will act on a no win, no fee agreement and ensure that you receive 100% of your compensation.

Our staff can deal with straightforward whiplash injuries right through to complex accidents involving disputes regarding liability as well as serious injuries.

We can arrange private physiotherapy and other rehabilitation services for our clients at no cost to them.

For our clients involved in road traffic accidents whose vehicles have been damaged or written off, we have access to a national fleet of hire cars to get you back on the road as soon as possible. You'll have the use of the car until your vehicle has been repaired or you have purchased a replacement vehicle.

We also work with a national network of engineers to ensure that the necessary repairs to your vehicle can be identified and carried out quickly.

Motor Insurers Bureau

If you have been the victim of a road traffic accident caused by an insured or untraced driver then we may still be able to recover compensation for you.

The Motor Insurers Bureau was established to compensate the victims of road traffic accidents caused by negligent uninsured or untraced drivers.

To find out you are entitled to claim through the Motor Insurers Bureau contact us now.

Tripping on uneven or unfinished pavements and slipping on unclean or wet floors are some of the most common accidents that occur. This often causes significant injuries to those who are involved in them.

Slipping and tripping accidents can occur in all sorts of places, on a public footpath, in a shopping centre, or in a pub or restaurant.

By law, local authorities are responsible to ensure that public pavements and roads are maintained properly and kept in good repair. However, on occasions this is not the case and members of the public can be injured as a result of raised or uneven paving slabs, manhole covers and potholes on public footpaths, or crumbling curbs on public pavements following work undertaken by local authorities or other utility companies.

Similarly, owners / developers of new housing estates, shops, or office complexes are required to make sure that the new development is safe before allowing members of the public access to the area. However, sometimes, pavements and roads are left unfinished or building materials are not properly cleared away causing a hazard to those using the new development.

Alternatively, you may have been injured as a result of slipping on a wet floor whilst in a supermarket, bar, restaurant or some other leisure facility. You may have been caused to fall by a hazard left by staff working there. If this is the case, you may also be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

If you have been injured in this way, then contact us now to see if we can assist you in receiving compensation for your claim.

If you have been injured, either physically or mentally, as a result of a criminal act, for example, you may have been the victim of an assault, mugging or the victim of abuse, our team of personal injury lawyers can help. They may be able to apply on your behalf to obtain criminal injury compensation whether your attacker is caught and convicted or not.

Similarly, if a relative has been seriously injured as a result of a criminal act then you may be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation.

The victims of criminal acts may be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. This is a government backed scheme to ensure that the victims of criminal acts receive compensation for their injuries.

As well as compensation for the injuries victims of crime have suffered, in some cases, when applicants have also suffered financial loss they can also claim for this. Loss of earnings or earnings capacity, the cost of medical or other care, or if you were dependent on someone who was murdered, means the criminal injuries compensation authority may pay additional compensation to you.

In order to find out whether or not you would be entitled to compensation as a result of a criminal act contact us now.

Holiday accident compensation claims

If your holiday has not turned out to be the relaxing, fun time you hoped because you were involved in an accident or suffered illness then contact us to see if we can help in recovering compensation for your injuries, and financial losses including the loss of enjoyment of your holiday.

It may be that you have slipped around a swimming pool due to inadequate safety precautions, or been injured because your hotel was not properly maintained. You may have even contracted food poisoning or some contagious disease due to the fault of the hotel owner. If so, you may be entitled to claim.

Even if your holiday was outside of England and Wales, we may be able to assist in recovery compensation for you. Under English law, if you are injured or suffer illness abroad, whilst on a package holiday, as a result of fault on the part of tour operator or someone sub-contracted by them, such as a hotel owner, then we can pursue your claim using English law.

If you are unsure whether or not this applies to you, then contact us for a free no obligation assessment of your claim.

Clinical Negligence

Being a patient under the care of a doctor is probably the only occasion where an individual unconditionally places their entire welfare in the hands of another. What happens if something goes wrong?

Here at Berkleys Solicitors, we are dedicated to helping victims of medical accidents who through no fault of their own have suffered physical and mental injury at the hands of those whom we all think of as the most trusted profession.

Recovering sums of money can never properly compensate our clients for the grave harm they have suffered but bringing these cases to light will heighten patient awareness and continues to ensure improvements in medical standards and treatment.

If you have been the victim of medical malpractice and have subsequently developed health problems contact us to see if we can assist in recovering compensation for you.