Welcome to Greater Manchester Asbestos Victims Support Group
(GMAVSG)
Greater Manchester Asbestos Victims
Support Group (GMAVSG) is a registered charity ( Reg. Charity No. 1113201)
established by asbestos victims to provide advice, information and support for
people with asbestos-related diseases.
Remembering Nancy Tait MBE Hon DUniv
Obituary
ACTION MESOTHELIOMA DAY (AMD)
FRIDAY 2nd JULY, 2010
Commencing 2010, Action Mesothelioma Day will be held each year on the first Friday in July.
AMD 2010 is on Friday, 2nd July, 2010. Details of events by GMAVSG will be posted at a later date.
Latest News and Important Events
Minister slams "Unacceptable" Tracing Scheme and signals an Employers' Liability Insurance Bureau
In his ministerial forward to the 2008 report on the employers' liability insurance Tracing Scheme Lord McKenzie has slammed the performance of the scheme as unacceptable. He has said that he is considering an Employers' Liability Insurance Bureau, an insurance fund of last resort, to ensure that compensation is paid where insurers cannot trace insurance policies.
To read the report go to: www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/elcop-review-2008
For our Press Release: click here .
For the Independent on Sunday report:
click here
To see Independent on Sunday Letters special: click here
The Health and Safety Executive launch a new £1.2million Asbestos: Hidden Killer campaign
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a campaign to warn maintenance workers of the dangers of asbestos in buildings today.
Across Britain, around 20 tradesmen die from asbestos diseases every week and the numbers are increasing. Workers most at risk of exposure to asbestos are those most likely to disturb or damage it such as plumbers, joiners and electricians.
The campaign aims to aims to raise awareness of the risks posed by asbestos and how workers can protect themselves.
Mike Cross, HSE’s North West Head of Construction, said: “Asbestos is Britain’s biggest industrial killer and remains a very real threat to Greater Manchester workers. Contrary to what many people believe, the risks are not a thing of the past. Asbestos-related illnesses claim the lives of 4,000 people every year — more than die in road accidents.
In the Greater Manchester area Bolton has the second highest death-rate due to asbestos-related disease, new figures show.
Between 1981 and 2005, 114 men in the borough died from mesothelioma — a cancer caused by breathing in the deadly asbestos fibres. Manchester had the highest, with 128.
A total 917 people died from the disease throughout the 10 Greater Manchester authorities.
For information about the campaign go to:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/hiddenkiller/index.htm
For information about essential precautions to prevent exposure to asbestos at work go to:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials/index.htm
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit . . . The case for disregard
It seems utterly perverse that asbestos victims in receipt of IIDB, dying from mesothelioma, should have their means-tested benefits cut for the short period of their remaining lives.
The Asbestos Victim Support Groups Forum have produced a booklet putting the case for a disregard of IIDB in respect of means-tested benefits. To read the booklet . . . view .
9th June, 2009. An open letter to the Association of British Insurers
In a protest by asbestos victims an open letter view was handed to the Association of British Insurers (ABI) at their conference condemning insurers' refusal to honour their liability to pay compensation to dying asbestos victims and in support of the All Party Parliamentary Group demand for an insurance of last resort view .
For a press release go to view
Government allows T&N Claimants to Keep Lump Sum Payments.
The government has announced that it will now allow T&N claimants to keep lump sum payments as well as the small
payments from the T&N Funds. This welcome decision was announced on the 13th February.
Government press statement click here
Action Mesothelioma Day: Call for Government Funded Mesothelioma Research
Action Mesothelioma Day 27th February was inaugurated by the British Lung Foundation and supporting organisations. Each year events are held throughout the country to raise awareness of mesothelioma and to promote the Mesothelioma Charter
For report of Action Mesothelioma Day, Manchester click here
For report of Action Mesothelioma Day throughout the country click here
Government U-turn on employers' liability insurance hits asbestos victims
The government has laid an order before Parliament to revoke the requirement, introduced 9 years ago, to require employers to retain employers' liability insurance (EL Insurance) policies for 40 years.
The 40-year rule was introduced because hundreds of asbestos victims each year do not get compensation because they cannot trace the insurers of employers who have ceased trading. It is imperative that government establishes a central electronic database for the compulsory recording of all employers' liability insurance policies.
We call on the government to establish an Employers Liability Insurance Bureau to provide insurance of last resort as is provided to motor accident victims under the Motor Insurers Bureau. We see no reason why asbestos victims should be treated less favourably than motor accident victims.
Please see the Forum Statement . . . . click here
The insurers' attempt to deny asbestos victims compensation has failed....for now.
The insurers' attempt to deny asbestos victims compensation has failed.
A High Court judgment said that insurers of companies during the period when exposure to asbestos occurred are responsible for paying compensation - not insurers of companies during the period when an asbestos disease develops many years later. This judgment simply confirms what has been the practice for many years. If the judge had ruled otherwise, hardly any asbestos victims would receive compensation because most companies who expose people to asbestos have ceased trading and there simply will be no insurer to claim against.
NB
However, this decision has now been appealed and claimants must continue to wait for the final judgement
To read the Press Release ....click here
To read the judgement please go to this link here
http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2008/2692.html
House of Lords End Compensation for Pleural Plaques
The Law Lords have upheld a Court of Appeal
decision to end compensation for pleural plaques. Pleural plaques are
thickening of the lung pleura, a two layered membrane surrounding the lungs,
caused by asbestos fibres. People who have pleural plaques have a heightened
risk of developing a fatal asbestos disease in the future. Compensation has
been paid for over 20 years for the anxiety and fear that a diagnosis of
pleural plaques causes. This judgment will cause anger and dismay to thousands
of people who live each day with this fear. The Greater Manchester Victims Support
Group is calling on MPs of all parties to overturn this appalling
decision in Parliament.
Pleural Plaques Consultation Paper
Mesothelioma sufferers have featured in a DVD especially produced by the
Asbestos Victims Support Groups' Forum
This is their message in their words, speaking for all mesothelioma sufferers and their families: Awareness -Prevention - Action.
For copies of the DVD ( these cost £5.60 - inc. P&P ), please e-mail us at : asbestos.gmavsg@virgin.net
More information is provided on www.actionmeso.info