Greenwoods Solicitors

Occupational disease is an increasingly broad and constantly changing area of personal injury law, now covering many conditions besides those traditionally associated with heavy industry and agriculture.

Greenwoods’ specialist disease team has a depth of expertise across the whole spectrum of work related conditions; asbestos-related disease (including mesothelioma, asbestosis and pleural plaques), emphysema, exposure to pesticides, occupational asthma/ chest diseases and rhinitis, hand-arm vibration syndrome; work related upper limb disorders; deafness and occupationally-induced cancers caused by exposure to wood-dust, paints and vinyl chlorides.

We also have expertise in the newer classes of complaint that have arisen in the evolving workplace, such as stress, bullying and discrimination, tuberculosis, trauma and chronic back pain arising from alleged cumulative trauma.

Our Occupational Disease team also handles policy coverage issues and has considerable experience in tracing corporate histories and advising on contractual indemnities.

Whilst we fully recognise the responsibilities of the employer for the safety and well-being of its staff, we also understand the employee’s responsibilities in this area. We keep up to date with the efficacy, availability and cost of remedial therapies and we use this knowledge to make realistic assessments of the likely impact of the condition on the claimant’s future earnings potential and quality of life.

We are also alive to the financial exposure of the insured to these types of claims and, where many employees have experienced the same work regime, we prepare defence strategies to cope with large numbers of claims arising from one type of work or exposure. These strategies not only focus on solutions for the claim(s) in hand but also, and with discretion, on the wider risk management implications for the avoidance of and mitigation against potential future claims.