Killer disease sufferers to get legal costs exemption

Sufferers of mesothelioma will initially be exempt from the Government’s reform to no-win, no-fee legal claims after lobbying from an Oldham MP.

Last week the Government angered campaigners by including victims of the industrial disease in changes which will see successful claimants pay part of their damages to their solicitors.

Under changes proposed to no-win, no-fee cases, claimants would have been told to pay legal costs out of compensation - potentially meaning bills of tens of thousands of pounds for asbestos-related cancer victims and their relatives.

The Government has now agreed to make a temporary exemption to the proposals for mesothelioma cases until a review considers its effect.

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams said: “Once people are diagnosed with the disease, they are, unfortunately likely to be dead within 18 months. It would be outrageous if 25 per cent of the damages was taken from them.”

“This is a good result for them. I do think other industrial diseases should also have been considered in this review.”

Nearly 70 people across the borough have died from the asbestos-related cancer since 1981.