Pleural plaques victims 'entitled to compensation'
Added (2009-Feb-09)
Victims of pleural plaques should be entitled to compensation in the same manner as sufferers of other asbestos-related diseases, according to a Scottish minister.
Community safety minister Fergus Ewing said the Scottish government was correct when it drafted a bill to overturn a decision which did not allow people with pleural plaques to make compensation claims.
Pleural plaques are a begin condition related to asbestos exposure that causes scarring on the lungs.
"The government's view is that it should continue to be possible to obtain damages when pleural plaques or similar asbestos-related conditions develop as a result of negligence," he said.
Mr Ewing added that those suffering from pleural plaques could be up to 1,000 times more likely to contract the asbestos-related disease mesothelioma.
According to mesothelioma.uk.com, some 2,000 people are diagnosed with the malignant cancer each year.
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