We can help you claim
compensation following an accident
illness or injury - nationwide
Call: 0800 10 757 95
What are dioxins and how does dioxin poisoning occur?
Dioxins are a group of more than 70 compounds with similar chemical or biological characteristics. They are often the by-products of incineration and other industrial processes but they can also be created by natural sources such as forest fires and volcanic eruptions.
Many dioxins break down slowly meaning that they are difficult to destroy and remain in the environment for years. They are also fat soluble which means that once ingested, they accumulate in an organism's body tissue where they will stay for a long period of time. This means that many humans will ingest dioxins through the eating of animal fat and animal fat by-products.
What is the risk of dioxin poisoning?
Everyone will therefore be exposed to small amounts of dioxins in their lifetime. While small amounts are harmless and are in fact thought to help prevent some forms of cancers, larger amounts, or small amounts over a prolonged period of time, can be very harmful and lead to dioxin poisoning.
Dioxin poisoning can occur when a person breathes in contaminated dust, ingests it or when there is skin contact with a harmful chemical. Commonly it is associated with workers involved in the production of pesticides, recycling of aluminium or copper, and fire fighters.
In some cases, employees may be asked to deal with dangerous dioxins at work without being issued the necessary protective clothing or training about how to handle the chemicals. In other cases, members of the public may be exposed to dioxins from industrial waste which has been pumped into the sea, rivers, land sites or air.
The effect of dioxins on the body
Dioxin poisoning has a multitude of different effects on the body depending on the level of exposure to the chemicals. Immediate symptoms of significant dioxin exposure include severe abdominal pains, nausea and vomiting and in the long term, very high doses can produce a skin conditions called 'chloracne'. This is a serious skin disease with acne-like lesions generally on the face and upper body. The skin may also be affected by rashes, discolouration and excessive body hair.
High doses of the chemicals may also result in metabolic and hormonal changes and in severe cases, kidney damage. Dioxin poisoning has also been linked to male infertility and fatal illnesses like cancer. Because dioxins remain in the body for long periods of time, it may take some time before the effects of the poison are apparent.
Employers have a responsibility to ensure that employees' exposure to dioxins is kept to as low a level as is reasonably practical. Health and Safety (HSE) regulations are in place to protect all workers form exposure to chemicals and risk assessments should be made by employers along with appropriate steps being taken to safeguard worker's health.
Whether your personal injury was caused by a work accident or from a public place, you may still be entitled to making a dioxin poisoning compensation claim.
Make a dioxin poisoning claim with YouClaim
At YouClaim, our team of personal injury lawyers have years of experience helping our clients make successful compensation claims.
Thanks to our no win, no fee policy, you will never be charged for making a dioxin poisoning claim with us meaning that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from making a claim.
So why not give us a call today and find out more about dioxin poisoning compensation claims.
