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| Asbestos disease claims stopped | Asbestos disease claims stopped |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of British workers suffering from an asbestos-related disease will not be able to claim compensation, the Law Lords have ruled. | Thousands of British workers suffering from an asbestos-related disease will not be able to claim compensation, the Law Lords have ruled. |
| The decision removes an established right to compensation for pleural plaques, a scarring of the lungs. | The decision removes an established right to compensation for pleural plaques, a scarring of the lungs. |
| Union leaders have attacked the decision, saying it will lead to "massive savings" for insurance firms. | Union leaders have attacked the decision, saying it will lead to "massive savings" for insurance firms. |
| Unions had appealed against an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal in January 2006. | Unions had appealed against an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal in January 2006. |
| The Law Lords ruled that pleural plaques was not a disease. | The Law Lords ruled that pleural plaques was not a disease. |
| They will be baffled and offended that the House of Lords has decided that pleural plaques is not worthy of any compensation Ian McFall Thompsons Solicitors | They will be baffled and offended that the House of Lords has decided that pleural plaques is not worthy of any compensation Ian McFall Thompsons Solicitors |
| Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, said it was a "harsh" decision which will affect thousands of people with pleural plaques now and in the future. | Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, said it was a "harsh" decision which will affect thousands of people with pleural plaques now and in the future. |
| "The judgment will disadvantage many of our members who have been exposed to asbestos in their work by denying them the right to sue their former employers for developing pleural plaques," he said. | "The judgment will disadvantage many of our members who have been exposed to asbestos in their work by denying them the right to sue their former employers for developing pleural plaques," he said. |
| Ian McFall, head of asbestos policy at Thompsons Solicitors, representing the union, added: "This decision is very disappointing for the thousands of people who are living with the worry of knowing that their lungs have been scarred by asbestos. | Ian McFall, head of asbestos policy at Thompsons Solicitors, representing the union, added: "This decision is very disappointing for the thousands of people who are living with the worry of knowing that their lungs have been scarred by asbestos. |
| "They will be baffled and offended that the House of Lords has decided that pleural plaques is not worthy of any compensation." | "They will be baffled and offended that the House of Lords has decided that pleural plaques is not worthy of any compensation." |
| Past rulings | |
| The case dates back to November 2004 when 10 men went to court seeking compensation from insurance companies which wanted to stop payments. | |
| In February 2005, the High Court ruled that people suffering from pleural plaques should receive compensation. | |
| It found there was an increased risk of developing other asbestos-related diseases, and that having the plaques caused anxiety. | |
| However, it reduced payment from between £5,000 and £15,000 to £3,000 and £7,000. | |
| Insurance companies appealed and the decision was overturned in 2006, ending 20 years of a standard legal right to compensation. |