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The environment of a school may present a number of risks of personal injury to staff and pupils but one which has only become apparent in the last decade, and for which the services of an asbestos solicitor may be needed, is the prevalence of deadly asbestos in school buildings.
Many schools were damaged by air raids in the Second World War and that, combined with the baby boom of the post-war period, meant large numbers of new classrooms were needed quickly. Asbestos panels were promoted as a useful and effective building material in the 1950s and 1960s before the health dangers of the fibres within it were realised.
Teachers, who spent their working hours in such classrooms, and the students taught there, were unaware of the potential risk to their long-term health caused by the fabric of the buildings and, of course, in most circumstances there was little hazard because the asbestos was safely contained within the outer layer of the construction panels.
However, it now seems a sizeable number of people could have suffered danger to their lungs by ingesting asbestos fibres wherever there were breaks in the panels which allowed the microscopic dust to escape.
There is no way of knowing how many victims of this type of asbestosis were affected by exposure in schools but adults now in their 50s and 60s are coming forward for diagnosis despite never having worked with or otherwise been near asbestos during their working lives.
An investigation into the source of mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illness which leads back to a school will require a certain amount of persistence by the victim, their family and, possibly, a no win no fee solicitor, in order to discover the likelihood of contamination having resulted from either working or learning in a particular place.
Once that is established, the responsible body will need to be contacted and negotiations begun to achieve a compensation settlement.
After 50 or more years, it may be quite difficult to prove the circumstances of an instance of exposure to asbestos and who might be responsible for neglecting the safety of those in its vicinity but in most cases the local authority in charge of the school will be responsible.
Due to the increasing number of asbestosis victims coming forward who have been affected by their time in classrooms, several campaign groups have been set up to provide information for sufferers. These include School Asbestos Action whose website includes useful advice on many aspects of the problem.
YouClaim asbestos solicitor
If you or a loved one believe you have mesothelioma, or another asbestos-related disease, which could be as a result of working at or attending a school where exposure occurred, YouClaim has a panel of experienced asbestos solicitors who can give advice and represent you in obtaining compensation for pain, suffering and loss of earnings.
Our industrial injury lawyers have a high success rate and are usually able to operate within the no win no fee system, meaning you receive 100% of all compensation awarded.
Don't delay, the time-span from diagnosis to a condition becoming terminal may not be very long and a financial settlement will make a big difference to peace of mind as well as being justified.
If you would like immediate free advice from a YouClaim lawyer or other member of our helpful legal team, use the online claim form to give us brief details or call us now on 0800 10 757 95.
