New warnings have been issued on a potential risk of exposure to asbestos with the breaking news that thousands of Australians who have renovated their homes and ripped up old carpets may have exposed themselves to deadly asbestos fibres. Experts have warned that asbestosis and mesothelioma is now being seen in an ever-increasing number of people whose only exposure to asbestos has occurred in the home during renovations.
It was revealed on the ABC1’s 7.30 report that James Hardie, the company who sold asbestos cement products, knew for three decades until the early 1970s that hessian bags which had been used to transport asbestos were recycled for use as carpet underlay. It is understood that many Australian homes may still have carpet underlay which contains the deadly asbestos fibres.
It may be that this exposure will result in a new wave of asbestosis and mesothelioma sufferers consisting of those involved in the home renovation industry. This would follow other groups identified as at risk of exposure being asbestos miners, builders, carpenters, plumbers and wharf workers.
Over 20,000 Australians are expected to be affected by asbestos-related disease over the next 50 years. Asbestos is the generic term for a number of fibrous silicate materials, which are a known carcinogen. Asbestos exposure can cause serious diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, which is a terminal cancer that occurs entirely due to exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos has been widely used throughout Australia in building materials and insulation around pipes and boilers in power plants, ships and commercial buildings. Asbestos products are still present in many hospitals, office buildings, factories, schools, homes, garages, and holiday houses. This wide spread use of asbestos means that anyone can be at risk from exposure from miners, builders, carpenters, shipbuilders to wives washing their husband’s work clothes and children playing with crushed asbestos.
Anyone exposed to asbestos and diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as asbestosis, cancer or mesothelioma may be entitled to make a claim for compensation.
If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos related disease, you may be entitled to compensation even if the exposure occurred many years ago. In addition, you may be eligible to make a claim for compensation if you worked for a number of different employers, were self-employed or worked as an independent contractor. It is also possible to make a claim for compensation even if you are not sure where or how you were exposed to asbestos or if the exposure occurred in another state or overseas. Partners and family members who have lost a family member from an asbestos-related disease may also claim compensation.
Compensation will include payment of your past and future medical expenses, past economic loss as well as loss of earning capacity in the future, costs of commercial assistance around the home, compensation for pain and suffering as well as loss of enjoyment of life and any loss in life expectation or reduced life expectancy.
At Walker Legal we keep up-to-date on the entitlements of people suffering from asbestos exposure and asbestos-related disease. We act with knowledge and expertise for people exposed to asbestos or those who have lost loved ones from asbestos exposure.
Walker Legal has offices in Surry Hills, Forestville, Manly and Canberra – each equipped with lawyers and solicitors experienced in workers compensation and all with the common goal of getting our client’s "just results fast." In fact we take on cases and win where other lawyers have failed!
Call Walker Legal Compensation Lawyers today and they can advise you on your workers compensation claim on 1800 445 537.
