Mesothelioma is a rare disease. It is an insidious cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. As with many rare illnesses, it can be difficult to find accurate information about mesothelioma. Below, we bust some of the myths.
- Mesothelioma isn’t that rare.
Asbestos and mesothelioma are often in the media and this can lead people to believe the occurrence of the disease is much higher than it really is.
In Europe, the definition of a rare disease or disorder is that it affects less than 1 in 2,000 people. In the UK, between 2,500 and 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. With the UK’s population being around 64million, the number of mesothelioma cases definitely falls into the rare category.
- Mesothelioma only affects lungs
Although the most common form of mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, affects the thin membrane around the lung, it can develop in other areas of the body.
The abdomen can be affected which is known as peritoneal mesothelioma. This is the second most common form of the condition. A rarer type of mesothelioma is pericardial, affecting the heart. In men, testicular mesothelioma can develop and women can suffer from papilliary mesothelioma.
- Mesothelioma only affects men
Whilst mesothelioma is more common in men, with around five times more men being affected, women do also develop the disease. The difference in the numbers is due to the employment that tended to expose people to asbestos, which was generally more male-orientated.
We have successfully pursued claims for mesothelioma compensation for both men and women who worked with asbestos. However it is more common for us to be contacted by women who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and who were exposed to asbestos when washing their husband’s or son’s asbestos covered work clothes. Women who were exposed to asbestos as children, having lived near to asbestos factories have also pursued successful mesothelioma claims through us.
- Mesothelioma claims are worth millions
We know that no amount of money can make up for the pain and suffering a mesothelioma diagnosis causes, but claiming mesothelioma compensation can help with additional expenses such as aids, care and equipment to help with daily life. Pursuing a mesothelioma claim can also help hold a company responsible for their negligence in wrongfully allowing people to be exposed to asbestos when they should have known about the dangers.
However, mesothelioma claims are not worth as much as people think they are. All injuries, from whiplash to mesothelioma, are given a value in the Judicial College (JC) Guidelines, for pain and suffering. For mesothelioma, the value is between £53,200 and £95,700, this makes up the ‘general damages’ in a claim and the value will be within this bracket, depending on the level of the sufferer’s symptoms and the extent of treatments provided. ‘Special damages’ are then added to the mesothelioma claim. These are financial losses caused by an injury or condition. In mesothelioma claims special damages usually include loss of earnings or pension, care and assistance and travel expenses. The average mesothelioma compensation award is between £137,000 and £155,000.
If you require assistance in pursuing a mesothelioma claim or believe you have any other valid claim for asbestos compensation, then please contact us today on our freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, head over to the ‘Contact Us’ page, complete the form and we will be in touch.