Almost 4,000 newly diagnosed cases of occupational skin disease result in legal action to claim compensation for personal injury every year. Certain occupations are high risk of contact dermatitis and eczema especially those that have to work with chemicals including beauticians, hairdressers, mining engineers, florists, printers, caterers, motor vehicle assemblers and chemical or medical researchers. Work related skin diseases can manifest itself in almost any type of work and industry. Contact dermatitis represent 80 per cent of diagnosed skin disease and can be caused by numerous apparently innocuous irritants, such as latex gloves, rubber, chemicals, soaps, oil, paints and cleaning agents.
Most people associate skin disease including contact dermatitis and eczema with chemical burns or other severe caustic irritants but that does not necessarily have to be the case. As an example, sunlight is a well known irritant of skin and overexposure can cause skin cancer or melanoma. Those workers that are subject to an above average amount of sunlight in their job, especially construction workers, may have a solid case against their employer, if they were not given proper training or provided with areas of shade. Another largely ignored danger to health relates to those who have work in wet conditions on a daily basis such as those in catering, food production and contract cleaning. Having to work in wet conditions on a daily basis is hard on the skin which it may weaken causing susceptibility to infections, lacerations or cracking and because the skin is wet every day, it has no time to heal thereby exasperating the condition. Skin diseases including contact dermatitis and eczema occupy a wide range of illness from minor irritation which is easily treated, to severe allergic reactions requiring hospital treatment.
An employer is mandated by law to provide a safe system of work and a safe working environment and to educate employees on the risk of contact dermatitis or eczema and to provide information about the chemicals or irritants you may need to use for your work. Inadequate training and/or protective safety equipment could lead to occupational skin diseases, which would allow an injured employee to make a successful compensation claim against an employer.
The assessment of damages for pain and suffering and loss of amenity in skin disease cases is based on the awards made by trial judges on previous occasions. The judge will consider the nature and severity of the personal injury and consequent symptoms, age, occupation, leisure pursuits and domestic responsibilities. Compensation may be awarded for any disadvantage on the open labour market in the future. A claim can be made for loss of earnings and for future loss of earnings. If you have had to get family or friends to carry out domestic tasks, then a claim can be made in respect of their time incurred. A claim can also be made for general out of pocket losses and expenses including travel expenses and clothing that may have been damaged in the accident.
If you have suffered personal injury we can help. Your claim will be dealt with on a no win no fee basis and there will be no financial contribution. Compensation will be paid in full with no deductions. You do not have to pay for any expenses and you do not have to pay for any insurance. If you would like free advice just call the helpline and a member of the Solicitors Regulation Authority panel of personal injury experts will speak to you on the telephone with no further obligation