Occupational hazards
In 2016 the Office of National Statistics reported that there were over five million people working in the public sector.
The health and well-being of employees are key areas of importance for public bodies. Failure to identify potential risks associated with specific working environments and/or practices can result in significant claims for compensation being brought.
Occupational illness and disease are fundamental areas of concern particularly given that direct liability or uninsured periods of cover may come in to play.
Whether dealing with long-tail (e.g. deafness, mesothelioma where symptoms may not show for many years) or short-tail (e.g. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) where the onset symptoms can be seen far quicker), Plexus has a dedicated and highly experienced Occupational Disease team at your disposal.
This specialist practice area within the firm has an extensive library of master files with liability and insurance cover information gathered over many years. Used both pre and post-litigation this data rich resource allows both costs and damages to be constrained.
We can assist public bodies facing compensation claims for occupational disease in the following areas:
- Claims handling – from service of proceedings to settlement or trial
- Claims management – before and after issue of proceedings – MI, updates on case as well as detailed costs
- Research – insurance histories, policyholders, coverage
- Claims investigations
- Advisory – risks, claims and potential liability (helping clients to react and plan for future)
Specialisms include:
- Asbestos/mesothelioma
- Deafness
- Hard arm vibration syndrome/vibration white finger
- Respiratory and dermatitis
- Stress/harassment
- Work related upper limb disorder
A significant portion of our work has been focused on noise induced hearing loss (e.g. arising from firearms, radio earpieces, fire hoses) and asbestos claims in buildings owned/operated by authorities constructed prior to current legislation/regulations governing materials used.
It goes without saying that often these claims can be highly emotive and distressing for all parties. This is where our knowledge and experience really comes to the fore, helping you to navigate the optimum outcome both in terms of reputation and cost.
Public Sector
