There are three types of asbestos - blue, brown and white. It was known as early as the 1800s that asbestos could damage health, yet employers and governments failed to act to protect workers. Blue and brown asbestos were not banned in the UK until the mid 1980s, with a ban on white asbestos not in place until November 1999. Beresfords are dedicated to recovering compensation for the injuries caused and offering full support for sufferers of asbestos related injury.

If you are suffering from an asbestos related injury, you should seek legal advice as soon as possible. If you have been exposed to asbestos and want to know if you are suffering from a related condition, make an appointment to see your GP, who should arrange for you to have a CT scan or x-ray. If you are experiencing breathing difficulties, your GP should refer you to a specialist. If medical examinations indicate that you do have an asbestos related injury, you should seek legal advice as soon as possible.

Exposure to asbestos can cause 5 main diseases. These are:

1. Pleural Plaques  2. Pleural Fibrosis / Pleural Thickening  3. Asbestosis  4. Lung Cancer  5. Mesothelioma
Many of the conditions can take from 15 to 60 years to manifest themselves after exposure to asbestos.

• Coughing • Difficulty breathing • Chest pain • Tumour         

It is very important to note that early detection of any illness increases your prospects of receiving medical care and successful treatment.

This is a rare and malignant tumour caused by exposure to asbestos and, despite extensive and ongoing research, it remains a fatal disease. The symptoms can include some or all of the following:

• Difficulty sleeping • Shortness of breath • Loss of appetite • Weight loss • Coughing • Chest pain • Abdominal pain • Pleurid fluid (in the chest cavity)

Early diagnosis and medical assistance may lengthen and ease life expectancy.

People employed in a wide range of industries can potentially suffer from asbestos related injuries. Among these are:

• Construction workers • Steel workers • Engineers • Railway workers
• Manufacturers • Dockers and transport workers

Non-workers who live with people exposed to asbestos may also be affected, as may anyone who lives, or has lived, in an area where asbestos has been a problem.

If a family member has passed away, having suffered from an asbestos related injury, a claim can still be made and Beresfords Solicitors can offer expert and compassionate advice.

Beresfords Solicitors specialises in industrial disease cases. Our company size and the relations we have built over the years put us in the enviable position of being able to secure the services of leading medical and engineering experts in the field of asbestos exposure. We are also forging relations in communities where there are many asbestos sufferers. There are already asbestos related injury support groups in larger towns and cities around the UK and Beresfords are striving to expand this network. If there is no support group in your locality, we will assist in ensuring there is one soon.