Dust Disease Claims Overview.

Australia has historically high usage rates of asbestos in many industrial settings including in house roofing, flooring, and guttering. But these are not the only causes of harmful emissions, dust, and particle matter which can cause devastating consequences.

In fact, interacting with coal mines, construction sites, excavation, many gardening products, common building materials, machinery that generates fumes, smoke from bushfires, and countless other activities can put you at risk of contracting a dust disease.

These activities cause the release of fine particulate matter, or dust, which can settle on clothing and surfaces, as well as spread through the air. While dust may not seem dangerous, when inhaled, it has the potential to cause significant and crippling injuries. According to the Australian government there were 761 deaths caused by dust diseases such as mesothelioma in the 2022 alone*.

Exposure to harmful dust and chemicals can happen in many ways, including:

• If you live near an industrial site
• Work-related exposure to asbestos, silica, or other dusts
• Being in a home that contains asbestos during renovations
• Working with asbestos
• Being around someone who has worked with asbestos (e.g., washing clothes that have asbestos dust on them)

The most common dust diseases are silicosis, asbestosis, and mesothelioma, which is a fatal cancer in the lining of the lungs. There are many different types of injury you can suffer if you’ve been exposed to harmful dust material.

If you’ve experienced any of these diseases, then you may be eligible to claim compensation. The type of claim you might be able to make will vary depending on several factors, so it’s important that you speak to a lawyer whole specialises in cases just like this. For example, a family living in a house with asbestos who contract a dust disease after renovations will be in a different position from a fire-fighter who’s suffered from smoke damage, and this will impact how your claim is approached.

These types of diseases can often take years to develop, so no matter when you were exposed, you may still be able to make a claim. Discussing your situation with a dust disease lawyer will give you an understanding of what you might be eligible for, and whether you can proceed with a claim. At Law Partners, we’ll take the time to get to know you personally, and we’ll investigate thoroughly to determine the cause of your injuries and understand the whole situation.

You can speak to one of our specialist dust disease lawyers completely free of charge, so if you think you might be eligible, or you’d like to know more, contact us today.  

*Australian Government, Cancer Australia 2022