What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a highly-fibrous, naturally-occurring mineral found in the ground. Asbestos can be found on just about every continent. Its exemplary heat- and fire-resistant properties have been recognized for hundreds of years.

Where is asbestos found?
Natural asbestos is found in the ground and is still mined in a few countries throughout the world, including Canada and Russia. Combined with other materials, it was used for decades in the manufacture of myriad insulation products and other products that required high heat resistance.

What does asbestos look like?
Asbestos fibres are long and needle-like, but you will usually find asbestos mixed with another material, such as cement, which may make it hard to identify.

How can I identify it?
It is very difficult to identify asbestos by sight. If you suspect that a material in your home contains asbestos, it is best to have it tested by a professional.

Is asbestos dangerous?
Yes, especially if it is damaged. If so, why? Damaged or old asbestos can easily crumble and the needle-like fibres can become airborne. It's easy to inhale these fibres. The fibres will lodge in the pleura (lining of the lungs) or other parts of your body and can cause scarring and other problems.

Where might I come into contact with asbestos?
Asbestos can be present in many products produced before the asbestos warnings of the 1970s, including insulation, drywall, pipes, brake pads, certain household products, and more. These may still be in your home or your workplace.

What kind of health problems does asbestos cause?
Asbestos can cause asbestosis - a scarring of the lungs, or mesothelioma - cancer of the pleura, peritoneum, or pericardium.

Who is most at risk for asbestos exposure?
Anyone who mined vermiculite or asbestos or who worked in industries where asbestos was widely used - like shipbuilding, construction, mining, manufacturing and labouring- are those most likely to have been exposed to asbestos.

What kinds of treatments are available for asbestos-related illnesses?
Less serious asbestos-related diseases require breathing treatments such as bronchodilators to relieve shortness of breath caused by the scarring of the lungs. Mesothelioma is most often treated with radiation or chemotherapy.

What should I do if I think I've come into contact with asbestos?
Not everyone who comes into contact with asbestos develops an asbestos-related disease. However, if you've had prolonged contact, it's best to have regular check-ups and chest x-rays to determine the ongoing health of your lungs.

Is asbestos still a problem?
There are no official estimates of the number of British buildings which contain asbestos. Asbestos products were used on a large scale for fireproofing, acoustic and thermal insulation, condensation protection and reinforcement in asbestos-cement products from about 1900 to the late 1970s.

Asbestos-containing materials used in British buildings include: sprayed asbestos coatings, asbestos lagging, insulation partition boards, ropes and yarns, cloth, millboard and paper, asbestos cement sheets and partition boards, flooring, textured coating, mastics, sealants, putties, adhesives, wall plugging compound, pipework and so on. For this reason alone, asbestos remains a problem in the U.K.

What diseases are caused by asbestos exposure?
As asbestos fibres accumulate in the lungs, several diseases may occur.

Two principal kinds of cancer:

• Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleural and peritoneal lining and is considered to be almost exclusively related to exposure to asbestos. It is almost always fatal with those affected usually dying within 1 or 2 years of diagnosis. Mesothelioma has a long latency period (i.e. the time between initial exposure and the onset of the disease) that is typically between 30 and 40 years.
• Lung Cancer is a malignant tumour of the bronchi - the tubes carrying air to and from the lungs. The tumour grows through surrounding tissue, invading and often obstructing air passages. Again, the disease has a long latency period - typically at least 20 years.

Non-malignant lung diseases:

• Asbestosis is a scarring of the lung tissue. This scarring impairs the elasticity of the lung, restricting their expansion and hampering their ability to exchange gases. This leads to inadequate oxygen intake to the blood. It is a slowly progressive disease with a latency period of 15 to 30 years.
• Diffuse pleural thickening is a non-malignant disease in which the lining of the lung (pleura) becomes scarred. If it is extensive then it, too, can restrict expansion of the lungs and lead to breathlessness. It normally takes at least 10 years after the first exposure to develop asbestos related pleural disease. The disease is a chronic condition with no cure.
• Small areas of scarring are called pleural plaques. They do not cause symptoms. Compensation is no longer available for pleural plaques.

How do I claim?
Once you have been diagnosed with an asbestos related condition you must seek advice from us as soon as possible.

There are time limits for making a claim for both state benefits and through the court system. The time limit generally for bringing court proceedings is within 3 years from when you were told about your asbestos related condition. If you are outside of this 3 year time limit then the courts have discretion to still award you damages provided there is good reason for the delay.
Time is running and you must contact us now, 0800 118 5855