If you have been diagnosed with asbestos-related pleural thickening, you may be entitled to compensation from the employer whose negligence exposed you to asbestos dust. WE Solicitors is a specialist industrial disease practice based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. We have acted for people affected by asbestos exposure across the North West and the rest of England and Wales since 2001.
Pleural thickening compensation claims are handled on a no win, no fee basis. There is nothing to pay upfront, and nothing to pay at all if your claim does not succeed.
What Is Asbestos-Related Pleural Thickening?
Asbestos-related pleural thickening is scarring of the pleura, the thin membrane that surrounds the lungs. It is caused by breathing in asbestos fibres, often decades earlier. As the scar tissue hardens and tightens, it stops the lung expanding fully, which reduces respiratory function and makes breathing harder.
The condition usually develops many years after the exposure that caused it, which is why people are frequently diagnosed long after they have retired. It is commonly associated with construction, shipbuilding, engineering, manufacturing and other industrial trades.
Pleural thickening is not a cancer. It can still cause substantial respiratory disability, and it may worsen over time.
Symptoms of pleural thickening
Symptoms can include:
- Shortness of breath, particularly on exertion
- Chest pain or a feeling of tightness
- Reduced exercise tolerance
- Fatigue
- Impaired lung function shown on breathing tests
If you have these symptoms and you worked around asbestos, it is worth asking your GP about a referral, whether or not you decide to make a claim.
How pleural thickening differs from pleural plaques
The two are often confused. Pleural plaques are localised patches of scarring that are usually symptomless, and they do not generally give rise to a compensation claim in England and Wales. Diffuse pleural thickening is more extensive, and because it restricts breathing it can found a claim. Our guide to pleural plaques and pleural thickening explains the distinction in more detail.
Can I Claim Pleural Thickening Compensation?
You may be entitled to claim asbestos exposure compensation if all of the following apply:
- You were exposed to asbestos during the course of your employment
- Your employer failed to provide adequate protection from that exposure
- You have been diagnosed with asbestos-related pleural thickening
- Medical evidence supports the link between your condition and the asbestos exposure
Claims can often be pursued against former employers or their insurers even where the business has long since ceased trading. Specialist asbestos compensation solicitors can frequently trace historic insurance policies and employment records going back many decades, and a company no longer existing is rarely the end of the matter.
Is there a time limit?
In most cases court proceedings must be started within three years of the date you first knew that your condition was linked to asbestos exposure. That is usually the date of diagnosis rather than the date of the exposure itself, which matters a great deal when the exposure was forty or fifty years ago. Read more about time limits for asbestos claims, and if you are unsure where you stand, ask us rather than assuming you are out of time.
How Much Is Pleural Thickening Compensation Worth?
The value of a claim depends on several factors:
- The severity of your symptoms
- The extent of your respiratory impairment
- The impact on your work and daily activities
- Your age and prognosis
- Any financial losses arising from the condition
The Judicial College Guidelines, now in their 18th edition published in April 2026, provide the framework courts, solicitors and insurers use when assessing damages for respiratory injuries and asbestos-related disease.
Many pleural thickening claims are valued in the tens of thousands of pounds. Where there is significant respiratory disability, ongoing care needs, serious restriction of daily activities or substantial loss of earnings, compensation can reach six-figure sums once both general and special damages are taken into account. Our page on how much your claim is worth explains how the two are calculated.
What you can claim for
Alongside compensation for pain, suffering and loss of amenity, you may also recover:
- Past and future loss of earnings
- Pension losses
- Care and assistance costs
- Medical expenses
- Travel costs
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Home adaptations and specialist equipment where needed
Provisional damages
Many pleural thickening cases are settled on a provisional damages basis. This means you receive compensation now, while keeping the right to come back for further compensation if you later develop a more serious asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer or asbestosis. For most clients this is the single most valuable feature of the claim, and it is one of the reasons it matters who handles it.
Government Benefits and Additional Financial Support
A civil compensation claim is not the only route. People diagnosed with asbestos-related pleural thickening may also qualify for state benefits and statutory compensation schemes, and these can be claimed alongside a civil claim.
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is a state benefit for people who have developed a prescribed industrial disease through their work. Depending on the level of disablement assessed, you may qualify for regular payments. In 2024 there were 395 new cases of pleural thickening assessed for this benefit in Great Britain, according to the Health and Safety Executive.
Pneumoconiosis (Workers’ Compensation) Act lump sum payments
You may qualify for a lump sum under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979. This scheme matters most where a former employer no longer exists or where compensation cannot be recovered any other way.
Other benefits
Depending on your circumstances you may also be entitled to Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance or other welfare benefits linked to illness and disability. We can help you complete and submit these applications so you receive everything you are entitled to.
Asbestos Exposure in Greater Manchester and the North West
The North West carries one of the heaviest asbestos legacies in the country. Health and Safety Executive figures for 2022 to 2024 put the regional male asbestosis death rate at 16.8 per million per year, among the highest of any region in Great Britain. Across the country as a whole, around 5,000 people still die each year from asbestos-related disease, almost all of it caused by exposure that happened decades ago.
Behind those figures are the mills, engineering works, power stations, building sites and public buildings across Greater Manchester and Lancashire where asbestos was handled daily and often without any protection at all. Our offices are in Oldham, and a great many of the people we act for were exposed within a few miles of them. You can see the industries and trades most affected and read about cases we have settled.
How Our Asbestos Compensation Solicitors Can Help
Our specialist industrial disease solicitors have acted for people diagnosed with asbestos-related illness since the firm was founded in 2001. We can help by:
- Investigating your asbestos exposure history
- Tracing former employers and their historic insurers
- Obtaining specialist medical evidence
- Pursuing compensation on a no win, no fee basis where appropriate
- Securing provisional damages where suitable
- Maximising compensation for both the injury and your financial losses
- Assisting with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit applications
- Assisting with Pneumoconiosis (Workers’ Compensation) Act applications
- Advising on the wider benefits and support available to you and your family
We know that a diagnosis like this is frightening, and that the worry is often as much about what might come next as about the present. We give clear, practical advice and stay with you through every stage, from the first investigation to securing your compensation and benefits. You can read more about how the claims process works.
“People often tell us they left it because they assumed the company had gone, or that too much time had passed. Neither is usually true. Tracing a dissolved employer’s insurers is routine work for us, and the clock generally runs from diagnosis, not from the exposure.”
WE Solicitors LLP is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, SRA number 445359. We are members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association.
Pleural Thickening Claims: Frequently Asked Questions
Is pleural thickening the same as asbestosis?
No. Both are caused by asbestos and both affect breathing, but they affect different parts of the lung. Pleural thickening is scarring of the membrane around the lung, while asbestosis is scarring of the lung tissue itself. They are assessed separately, and it is possible to have both.
Can I claim if my former employer no longer exists?
Yes, in most cases. Claims are usually met by the employer’s insurers rather than the business itself, and specialist solicitors can trace historic policies going back decades. A company having been dissolved is rarely a reason not to pursue a claim.
How long do I have to make a pleural thickening claim?
Generally three years from the date you first knew your condition was linked to asbestos, which is usually the date of diagnosis rather than the date of exposure. If you are close to or past that point, take advice quickly rather than assuming it is too late.
Will I have to go to court?
Almost certainly not. The large majority of asbestos claims settle by negotiation without a contested hearing. Court proceedings are sometimes issued to protect a time limit or to apply pressure, which is not the same as a trial.
What are provisional damages?
A settlement that compensates you now while preserving your right to claim again if you later develop a more serious asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma or lung cancer. It is a significant protection and it is worth asking about before settling any asbestos claim.
Can I claim benefits as well as compensation?
Yes. Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and payments under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) Act 1979 can be pursued alongside a civil claim. We help clients with both.
How much does it cost to make a claim?
We act on a no win, no fee basis in appropriate cases. There is nothing to pay upfront and nothing to pay if the claim does not succeed. We will explain any deduction from your compensation in writing before you commit.
Can I claim on behalf of a relative who has died?
Yes. Where someone has died from an asbestos-related disease, their estate and certain dependants can bring a claim. Different time limits apply, so it is worth taking advice early.
Speak to a Specialist Asbestos Solicitor
If you have been diagnosed with asbestos-related pleural thickening, you may be entitled to compensation and to additional financial support. Talk to our asbestos claims team for a free, no-obligation discussion of your circumstances. There is no pressure and no obligation to proceed.
Please note that compensation figures on this page are provided for guidance only. Every claim is assessed individually, and the amount recovered depends on the medical evidence, the level of disability and the financial losses sustained.
