Asbestos compensation news
28/08/2008

MPs in agreement with personal injury solicitors

There are concerns that a government proposal to end the obligation of companies to keep records of their industrial injury liability insurance policies could adversely affect the prospects of those who make asbestos compensation claims.

North West Leicestershire MP David Taylor expressed his concern that the proposal may endanger the rights of industrial illness claimants, including those of people who claim asbestos compensation. "I am concerned that victims of industrial diseases, and possibly future ones of which we know little at present, which are slow to appear - like mesothelioma - will not receive compensation via employers' liability compulsory insurance (ELCI) policies," he said.

Adding, "The present system is imperfect, but we must not countenance its abolition until there is a better arrangement to put this in place.

"Where employers are liable for the illnesses of their employees, they must keep in place appropriate insurance to provide full compensation; anything less is utterly unacceptable."

David Taylor is not alone in voicing concern about how ending an employer's obligation to keep records of liability insurance might affect the asbestos compensation claims of the future. He has joined forces with another MP, Mark Todd, to sign an Early Day Motion that calls the government to end any such plans.

He commented, "If we do not keep these records, and we have had some instances involving smaller mining companies in recent years, tracing them can be hard.

"It is necessary to keep these records from all those years ago."

The Early Day Motion has strong support from practically all UK personal injury solicitors.