Industrial Disease Claims – A Way to Get Compensation against Personal Injuries and Other Medical Conditions at Workplace

Industrial disease claims are the compensation suits filed by a worker against the employer in case the worker has suffered from a personal injury or disease due to exposure to certain conditions at the workplace. This article discusses the most common types of diseases or medical conditions and their causes which enable a worker to file an industrial disease claim according to law in the United Kingdom.

Common Industrial Diseases and their Causes

Industrial disease is the term used for a wide range of medical conditions, diseases or injuries that a worker may suffer from at the workplace due to exposure to flawed work practices, such as excessive vibration in tools, or due to exposure to harmful materials such as asbestos or silica dust.

There are many types of industrial diseases that are recognized being claimable for compensation from the employer. The most common among them are:

1. Industrial deafness, which is caused by excessive noise levels persistent at the workplace or industry. The worker suffering from this disorder looses hearing sensitivity temporarily or permanently, or may hear continuous whistling or buzzing sounds. This disorder is further categorized into four types, i.e. temporary deafness, permanent deafness, tinnitus, and acoustic trauma

2. Vibration white finger, which is caused by using a vibratory tool or machinery at the workplace continuously for a longer time. Another variant of this condition is Hands-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), in which the victim looses the strength of grip and is unable to hold the objects with hand.

3. Repetitive Strain Injury, which normally involves upper body and is caused by excessive continuous repetition of certain tasks mostly involving the hands

4. Asbestosis, a lung disease that is caused by breathing in an environment with asbestos fibre particles in the air, especially at the workplace

5. Asbestos Mesothelioma, which is a kind of cancer caused due to exposure to excessive asbestos fibre at workplace

6. Silicosis, which is also a lung disease, and is caused by inhaling silica or quartz dust present in the air at the workplace

Besides these diseases, there are many other medical conditions that can become part of industrial disease claim, such as Industrial Dermatitis, Occupational Asthma, Occupational Stress, etc.

Industrial disease is also called industrial injury, personal injury at workplace, industrial accident, or occupational disease, which is the latest term. Occupational disease is a broader term, which is widely used in compensation claims recognizing the fact that the workplace may not necessarily be an industry.

Filing an Industrial Disease Claim

The workers suffering from any of the above medical conditions may file compensation claims in the UK. The industrial disease solicitors are the best resources for the workers to document and file their case. Any worker who has suffered from any of those conditions should take necessary steps to file their claim so that their employer knows about their disease and offers early treatment to avoid further complications or permanent damage.