Defendant occupational disease solicitors
Our occupational disease team is widely recognised as a market leader across the UK. Handling in excess of 20,000 disease claims each year, our 100+ fee earners offer a cradle to grave service, from pre-litigation handling through to costs and appropriate recoveries at the conclusion of a case. Our service delivery is tailored to meet each client’s needs.
As you would expect from a market leader, we add value for our clients by providing market insight to help them manage their past, current and future risks and associated costs. Underpinned by market data, our thought leadership and innovation teams advise and publish papers on market trend analysis and claimant supply chain behaviour, which helps to inform our clients’ horizon planning and strategic thinking.
All aspects of occupational disease claims are handled, including claims relating to:
- Abuse
- Asbestos
- Noise-induced hearing loss
- Occupational cancers
- Other short and long tail diseases
- Recoveries and contribution claims
- Reinsurance
- Stress
- Work-related upper limb disorders
We act solely for those defending insurance claims, including composite and monoline insurers, legacy acquirers, global corporates, TPAs and public sector organisations, as well as brokers and other intermediaries. We advise our clients on liability and quantum and the cost of claims, coverage, policy wordings, regulatory issues and fraud. Our centres of excellence for occupational disease are based in Birmingham, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, London and Scotland.
In the public sector, we act for an unrivalled number of local authorities, unitary and county councils, as well as for utility companies across the whole range of occupational diseases. Our insight and specialist knowledge on previous local government reorganisation, the transfer of liabilities and the TUPE Regulations also mark us out as true leaders in this field.
We also offer a ‘legacy’ advisory service to our clients to provide assistance and clear guidance on how occupational disease issues can be best managed to prevent further claims. We are also currently working with an increasing number of our corporate clients to help them to best understand their exposure to their long-term liabilities and what they might wish to do about them.
Our ‘knowledge bank’, designed and developed by our teams working at the coal face of these claims, provides our clients with the tools to inform early decision-making on all aspects of the constituent parts of liability in the disease claims they face.
To assist clients in responding to the multiplicity of challenges presented by increased globalisation, we provide international coverage through Insurance Law Global and Legalink, as well as our contacts at a large number of law firms worldwide.
Asbestos litigation
We are a 25 strong unit of lawyers specialising in asbestos litigation, led by eight partners, who have considerable experience in dealing with these claims. The group encompasses specialists in specific sectors — such as construction, manufacturing, retail, the steel industry and also education; and in specific subjects — such as developments in immunotherapy and treatment, low dose assessments, lung cancer causation issues and the rising cost of claims.
What we bring:
- Market data and predictive analytics to inform claimant supply chain behaviours and accurate reserving
- Collaborative internal and external channels of communication, to generate continuous gathering of market insight
- Bespoke MI on immunotherapy costs
- Monthly innovation and problem-solving meetings
- Specialist recoveries and sanctions team
- External training provision for clients
Key contacts: Deborah Edwards, Graham Dean, David Tuck, Jim Byard, Kieran Jones
Noise-induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) claims
Our dedicated teams of specialist NIHL handlers have a proven track record of achieving high “nil settlement rates” for our clients. We acted for the successful appellant in the first NIHL case to go before either the House of Lords or the Supreme Court - Baker v Quantum Clothing Group Ltd [UK Supreme Court 2011]. Our team remains at the forefront of cutting edge litigation on issues of de minimis loss, limitation, noise latency and tinnitus aetiology.
Key contacts: Jim Byard, Paul Debney, Peter Tyler
Occupational cancers
We have many years’ experiences of handling occupational cancer claims for defendants. Our team will help guide you through the complex issues involved in dealing with these types of claims ranging from date of knowledge, negligence/breach of duty and causation.
We have dealt with numerous different types of cancer claims over the years caused by exposure to carcinogens in the workplace. They range from lung cancer allegedly caused by exposure to silica, bladder cancer caused by exposure to amines, sino-nasal cancer caused by exposure to wood dust and leukaemia caused by exposure to benzene.
Cancer Research UK estimates that there are almost 300,000 new cases of cancer every year and 150,000 deaths. Of this it is estimated that there are over 13,000 linked to work each year and over 8000 deaths. Some commentators believe that this may be an underestimate but the figures show that this is still a real and ongoing issue.
Our team of experts will help guide you through this complex area.
Key Contacts: Graham Dean, Deborah Edwards and David Tuck
Work-related Upper Limb Disorders (WRULD)
Successful WRULD claims frequently have implications that go beyond the payment of damages and costs, as they strike at the heart of a system of work which can have significant cost implications if a process re-design is needed to avoid future claims.
Our team has a demonstrable track record in defending both individual and group employee actions. We have in-depth medical knowledge of the conditions commonly presented, ranging from carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), tenosynovitis and related conditions.
We also work closely with our regulatory team to support our clients in best practices and to understand how best to respond to and ultimately avoid future claims and HSE intervention. We will work with you to provide advice not only on the legal aspects of the claim but on the wider systems of work and management of these conditions.
Key contacts: Graham Dean, Keith Jones, Peter Ward
Occupational asthma
Frequently presented as a 'short tail' condition, claims for occupational asthma and other respiratory conditions range significantly in value, from a few thousand pounds to several hundreds of thousands if employment is compromised.
Our team will guide you both through the relevant statutory guidelines laid out in the COSHH Regulations and subsequent Enterprise Act and through the relevant medical records and peak flow readings which require consideration to determine the often complex issues of breach of duty, negligent exposure, foreseeability and medical causation.
Key contacts: Graham Dean, Deborah Edwards, Paul Debney, David Tuck
Other short and long tail diseases
Our disease team has the skills and expertise to handle these claims on your behalf, having acted for defendants and insurers for decades and can bring that expertise and experience to provide solutions for our clients.
The types of claims that we have handled are too numerous to mention in detail and we are constantly seeing new types of claims appear and spend a considerable amount of time horizon scanning to see what potential problems may appear.
Types of cases that we have handled include concussion cases, dermatitis, hydrogen sulphide poisoning, que fever, legionnaires disease, symptoms from housing disrepair claims to aerotoxicity claims. This is a developing area, and we are here to help.
Key Contacts: Graham Dean, Deborah Edwards and Keith Jones
Group actions
By their very nature, claims for occupational disease tend to arise out of a process or processes, or a particular working environment. Settlement of one claim can lead to many more. HSE intervention can often lead to a multiplicity of claims, as can factory or site closures. Our occupational disease and regulatory teams work closely with our clients at every stage in the process, to proactively manage the instant claims and the risk profile of future claims. Early intervention and open dialogue at all times, with all interested parties, is key.
Recoveries and contribution claims
We recognise that claims for mesothelioma, given their special rules of causation and The Compensation Act 2006, are often pursued against only one defendant/paymaster, despite other potential defendants having exposed the claimant or related third party in breach of duty.
Our teams based in Birmingham and Leeds provide an unrivalled level of experience and expertise, not only in mesothelioma claims handling but in unravelling complex corporate structures to identify the correct defendant/paymaster to analyse the prospects of recovery which allow you to recover monies expeditiously.
Key contact: David Tuck
Insurance archaeology
Our recoveries team is supported by our insurance archaeology offering to the market.
In non-divisible claims, our tracing service will help our clients to find other paymasters who were on risk for any period during the claimant’s exposure. In divisible claims, our tracing team will help our clients to find other paymasters to enable them to share the legal costs and/or pass on the potential liability for the claim(s).
Our insurance archaeology offering has been developed on the back of work within the insurance industry for over forty years. We have achieved significant savings and recoveries for our clients, on the back of knowing where to look and who to speak to.
Key contact: Graham Dean