Bladder Cancer Compensation Claim

Bladder cancer compensation claim

Duncan Lewis Industrial Claims Solicitors – No win no fee Bladder Cancer Compensation Claims

Bladder cancer can be a slow developing disease which affects workers who have spent some of their working life in jobs where industrial chemicals are used – or hazardous dust which can be absorbed through the skin.

Toxic industrial chemicals absorbed by the skin pass through the system via the kidneys and bladder. Chemicals which cause cancer are referred to as carcinogens – tumours are also referred to as carcinomas (eg bladder carcinoma).

Common industrial chemicals which cause bladder cancer or have been linked to the disease include aromatic amines, such as benzidine and beta-naphthylamin.

Cigarette smoke may also cause bladder cancer – so workers who were employed in a factory or at a site where smoking was allowed may develop the disease, even if the were not smokers themselves.

Industries where there may be a high risk for bladder cancer include:

• Chemical manufacturing
• Constructions
• Dyeing
• Hairdressing
• Haulage
• Leather industry
• Mining
• Painting and decorating
• Petrochemical industry
• Printing
• Rubber industry.

A lorry driver or container driver who worked in an industry in which carcinogens were used may also have a higher risk of bladder cancer if they were frequently exposed to toxic chemicals or hazardous materials. The World Health Organization has found some evidence that diesel exhaust fumes may also be linked to a higher risk of bladder cancer

Tumours of the bladder develop in the lining of the bladder as a result of changes in the DNA of cells in the bladder lining – these changes can result when the lining of the bladder is exposed to chemical contaminants in urine over time.

There are two types of bladder tumour:

• Papillary tumours are wart-like growths attached to a stalk in the bladder lining – these are less invasive
• Non-papillary or sessile bladder tumours are flat growths – but can spread more easily and also invade nearby organs.

Bladder cancer is treated by a specialist in urology and is diagnosed with a biopsy, CT scan and MRI scan.

Tumours of the bladder are graded using the TNM (tumour, nodes, metastases) staging system. Nodes refer to the lymph glands and metastases are secondary tumours. The TNM staging system is:

• CIS: Bladder cancer is at a very early stage and confined to the lining
• Ta: Bladder cancer is confined to the lining of the bladder and has not spread
• T1: Bladder cancer has spread (metastasised) through the bladder lining, but not to the bladder muscle
• T2: Bladder cancer has spread to the bladder muscle
• T3: Bladder cancer has spread through the bladder muscle into fatty tissue
• T4: Bladder cancer has spread to other organs or tissues, such as the prostate gland, rectum, abdominal wall, pelvic wall – and in women, the uterus and vagina.

The different stages of bladder cancer may also be referred to simply as early stage, invasive or advanced bladder cancer.

There are also four different stages of early bladder cancer:

• Urothelial papilloma – benign tumour
• Papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (PUNLMP) –slow growing/unlikely to metastasise
• Low-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma – slow growing/unlikely to metastasise
• High-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma – a bladder tumour which grows faster.

Duncan Lewis industrial claims solicitors can advise workers who have been diagnosed with bladder cancer after being exposed to chemicals in the workplace on how to make a no win no fee bladder cancer compensation claim.

Making Bladder Cancer Compensation Claims

Workers who have been diagnosed with bladder cancer have three years from the date of diagnosis in which to make a no win no fee industrial disease claim for compensation.

Duncan Lewis industrial claims solicitors can also advise bereaved families whose loved one has died as a result of bladder cancer which was diagnosed as an industrial disease or at post-mortem on how to make a no win no fee bladder cancer compensation claim.

Because bladder cancer can years to develop after exposure to chemicals, Duncan Lewis industrial claims solicitors can help with tracing the insurers of a former employer using the Employers’ Liability Tracing Office (ELTO) and records held at Companies House.

Even if an employer is no longer in business or a company was taken over a former employer’s business, it is still possible to trace the Employers' Liability (EL) insurer to make a bladder cancer compensation claim against a former employer.

Duncan Lewis Industrial Claims Solicitors – No win no fee Bladder Cancer Compensation Claims

Duncan Lewis industrial claims solicitors are leading firm of no win no fee lawyers and can advise victims of bladder cancer industrial disease and their families on how to make bladder cancer compensation claims – including cases where bladder cancer has been diagnosed years after working with chemicals linked to bladder cancer.

Duncan Lewis industrial claims solicitors employ medical experts in industrial diseases if it is necessary to prove a link between a claimant having worked with carcinogens and later being diagnosed with industrial diseases such as bladder cancer.

Because of the limitation period for making Bladder Cancer Compensation Claims, Duncan Lewis industrial claims solicitors advise claimants to get in touch as soon as possible after a bladder cancer diagnosis to discuss making a claim for compensation.

The value of any claim for bladder cancer compensation may take into account the TNM staging grade and prognosis. Your Duncan Lewis industrial claims lawyer will be able to advise you further once your case has been assessed.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Bladder Cancer Compensation Claims, call Duncan Lewis Industrial Claims Solicitors on 020 7923 4020.