Anyone concerned they have been exposed to asbestos following its discovery at a CBD construction site are being urged to register their potential exposure with expert asbestos law firm Slater and Gordon.
It was revealed late last week that asbestos had been found at the King George Square Brisbane Metro construction zone, prompting union workers to down tools until the site, which hundreds of pedestrians also walk past each day, was safe.
Slater and Gordon has established a National Asbestos Register to protect people exposed to the highly dangerous material, which consequently can lead to them developing dust diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos related pleural disease and lung cancer later in life.
Slater and Gordon asbestos diseases lawyer Sean Sweeney said it could take decades for devastating symptoms and their resultant diseases to show.
“Asbestos continues to have a devastating impact on Australians with about 800 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed and approximately 4,000 asbestos-related deaths occurring each year,” Mr Sweeney said.
“It can take between 10 and 60 years for asbestos-related injuries to develop after exposure and there is no recorded safe level of exposure to asbestos.
“Australia was a huge consumer of asbestos and it was not prohibited until 31 December 2003, which means that about one in three buildings still currently contain asbestos, including homes, schools and workplaces.
“Our asbestos register aims to help people document their exposure while it’s still fresh in their minds, which can protect their legal rights to compensation if they go on and develop asbestos related diseases,” he said.
“Knowing where they were exposed can help speed up the legal process and get them their entitlements earlier than it would if we had to investigate when and where they may have been exposed.”
Asbestos becomes a potential health risk if the fibres are suspended in the air and breathed into the lungs.
The fibres can remain deep within the lungs and can lodge in the lung tissue, causing inflammation, scarring, leading to serious asbestos-related diseases, which usually take many years, if not decades, to show physical signs.
Anyone wanting to register their potential exposure can do so at: https://www.slatergordon.com.au/personal-injury/asbestos/register
Key Facts:
Anyone concerned they have been exposed to asbestos following its discovery at a CBD construction site are being urged to register their potential exposure with expert asbestos law firm Slater and Gordon.
It was revealed late last week that asbestos had been found at the King George Square Brisbane Metro construction zone, prompting union workers to down tools until the site, which hundreds of pedestrians also walk past each day, was safe.
Slater and Gordon asbestos diseases lawyer Sean Sweeney said it could take decades for devastating symptoms of asbestos related diseases to show, which is why it was important to keep a record of any exposure.
“Our asbestos register aims to help people document their exposure while it’s still fresh in their minds, which can protect their legal rights to compensation if they go on and develop asbestos related diseases,” he said.
“Knowing where they were exposed can help speed up the legal process and get them their entitlements earlier than it would if we had to investigate when and where they may have been exposed.”
Anyone wanting to register their potential exposure can do so at: https://www.slatergordon.com.au/personal-injury/asbestos/register
Contact details:
Andrea Petrie 0428 994 937
andrea.petrie@slatergordon.com.au
