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If you’ve been exposed to asbestos at work, at home, or in your community, and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma or asbestosis, you may be eligible to make a compensation claim.
Our team of specialist asbestos compensation lawyers is here to help you understand your legal options and what steps to take to make sure you receive the best possible outcome.
We’ve successfully helped hundreds of individuals and their families with time sensitive and complex cases for over 25 years.
What are asbestos-related diseases?
Asbestos is a natural mineral fibre that was used a lot in homes and other buildings in Australia, especially between 1950 and 1985. It was often used in bathrooms, kitchens, roofs, eaves and cladding.
When asbestos is broken or damaged, tiny fibres can float in the air. If people breathe in these fibres, they can get stuck in the lungs and cause serious health problems many years later. These problems are called asbestos-related diseases.
Image: Asbestos fibre is a delicate, fibrous mineral with a silky, thread-like texture.
The most common asbestos-related diseases include:
What is asbestosis?
A progressive and irreversible lung condition caused by inhaled asbestos fibres, leading to scarring of the lung, and eventually hardening or stiffness of the lung.
It's possible to suffer from other asbestos-related conditions at the same time as asbestosis, such as asbestos-related pleural thickening or pleural plaques.
Symptoms of asbestosis can include:
- shortness of breath (dyspnoea)
- a cough that won’t go away (persistent cough)
- chest tightness
- chest pain
Diagnosis often involves lung function tests (breathing test), chest X-rays, and CT scans. Symptoms can worsen over time, and the need for treatment can increase with age.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by asbestos, commonly found in the lungs and the linings of the abdomen (peritoneum).
To learn more about mesothelioma, click here.
Being exposed to and breathing or swallowing asbestos fibres or dust can increase your risk of developing cancer. One of the type of cancers is called lung cancer.
What are the symptoms of asbestos lung cancer?
Like mesothelioma, asbestos related lung cancer symptoms can take decades to develop. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain, a cough that won’t go away and coughing up blood.
Types of asbestos lung cancer
There are many forms of lung cancer, and some are related to working with asbestos. Asbestos-related lung cancers include:
- non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma
- small cell lung cancer.
What is asbestos-related pleural disease?
Asbestos-related pleural disease refers to the other benign (non-cancerous) changes and damage that can be caused in the lung due to asbestos exposure. The damage can make the lining around the lungs thicker (like a rind) or cause calcification (hardening). This thickening or hardening can cause you to feel short of breath.
Asbestos damage can also cause the build-up of fluid in the space between the lungs and chest wall. This build-up of fluid is called a ‘pleural effusion’, and if the build-up of fluid is large enough, it may need to be drained by a specialist in a hospital setting.
Asbestos-related pleural disease can significantly impact a person’s lung function and cause pain and discomfort. Depending on the damage, the condition can progress over time.
Asbestos-related pleural disease is different from ‘pleural plaques’. Pleural plaques are small, hard areas that are found on the lining of the lung. They are a marker showing that you have been exposed to asbestos, but do not usually cause any symptoms.
These diseases usually take a long time to show any symptoms and can range anywhere between 10 to 50 years after someone was exposed to asbestos. For mesothelioma, the delay can be anywhere between 20-60 years. This delay is also known as the ‘latency period’.
If you or a loved one has an asbestos-related disease, our team of expert asbestos lawyers can help you understand your rights and guide you through your compensation options.
What compensation may I be eligible for?
If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, you may be eligible to seek compensation for the following:
- medical expenses and treatment
- loss of income
- travel costs for treatment
- cancer care and support services
- pain and suffering
- future nursing and allied health care needs
Speak with one of our asbestos compensation lawyers today to find out how we can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Register your asbestos exposure
To help protect your legal rights, it’s important to document any history of asbestos exposure.
We’ve created the free National Asbestos, Silica, Chemicals, Fumes and Dusts Register to record details of exposure. This can help with any future compensation claims you might need to make. Registration is free and carries no obligation.
Any questions? Check out our FAQ.
How Maurice Blackburn can help with your compensation claim
Every case is different, which is why we keep you informed at every stage of the compensation claim process. From the start, you’ll know what to expect.
You’ll also have the support of our dedicated Lung Clinical Nurse Consultant who will be with you throughout your diagnosis, tests, procedures, and treatment. They’re here to answer any health-related questions and provide the care and reassurance you need.
1. Get in touch with us
Contact our helpful team to confidentially chat about your situation. You can call us on 1800 111 222 or visit our contact us page for more options.
2. Initial appointment
Our lawyers will arrange a time that works for you. Whether that's at your home, in hospital, or wherever you feel most comfortable. We’ll take the time to listen to your story and clearly explain your legal options.
3. We will lodge your claim
We’re here to take care of the legal process so you can focus on your recovery.
Because many claims are time sensitive, we’ll make sure the right court documents are prepared and lodged on time, protecting your rights and peace of mind.
4. Evidence collection
With your permission, we'll gather relevant medical records, work history, and exposure details to support your claim.
5. Settling your claim
We aim to resolve your claim as quickly and smoothly as possible, and can fast-track the process when needed.
Most claims are finalised during pre-trial negotiations, but if your case does go to court, we’ll be by your side every step of the way.
1. Get in touch with us
2. Initial appointment
Our expert lawyers will arrange a suitable time to come to you, whether that be at your home or in hospital.
3. We will lodge your claim
Often your claim may be time sensitive. To protect your compensation rights, we will issue and submit a formal document to the court. This needs to be issued in your lifetime.
4. Evidence collection
We gather relevant medical records, work history, and exposure details to support your claim.
5. Settling your claim
We aim to resolve your claim as quickly as possible and can fast-track your claim if required. In the majority of cases, your compensation claim will be settled during the ‘pre-trial negotiations’ period. However, in the small cases that do go to court, we will be there to support you every step of the way.
Our lawyers will work with you through every step of the process
Take the first step towards justice and support. Our team of dedicated Dust lawyers are here to listen to your story and provide expert legal assistance and support.
Contact us today for a confidential, no-obligation consultation.
Need to speak to us sooner? Call us on 1800 111 222
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Specialist Lung Nurse Support
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Frequently asked questions about asbestos-related diseases
If you’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, you may be eligible to make a compensation claim.
Occupations most exposed to asbestos include:
- Builders
- Carpenters
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Sheet metal workers
- Mechanics
- Dock workers
- Asbestos insulation workers
- Firefighters
If you’re unsure whether you’ve been exposed, we’ve compiled a list of asbestos containing products linked to past exposures. This may help you decide whether you should get a health check or consider making a compensation claim.
The asbestos claim you can make will differ between states and when you were exposed.
Even if you live in New Zealand but were exposed to asbestos while working in Australia, you may still be able to make a claim.
Our team of expert asbestos lawyers can help you understand what options are available to you, and exactly where you stand.
You may be eligible for personal injury claims, wrongful death claims, asbestos trust fund claims, or government compensation schemes.
Settlements vary depending on a range of factors, but mesothelioma claims often range from $400,000 to over $1 million. It’s best you speak with your expert asbestos compensation lawyers to be understand your individual claim.
Maurice Blackburn is unique in that we have a dedicated Lung Clinical Nurse Consultant, Sara McLaughlin-Barrett, as part of our dust disease team. Sara has more than a decade of experience caring for people with lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Having a specialist lung nurse means she can support you by:
- explaining your diagnosis and treatment options
- providing personal, compassionate support for you and your family
- helping our legal team understand your health journey so we can pursue your claim with full insight.
She’s based in Melbourne but supports clients nationwide. To learn more, read her full profile here.
Each case is unique, depending on your diagnosis and your current health condition. However, the average time from lodging to settling an asbestos-related disease claim is between 4 to 12 months.
Symptoms of asbestos-related diseases often take 10 to 50 years to appear. For mesothelioma, the latency period can be between 20 to 60 years.
Asbestos exposure hasn’t only occurred in workplaces, it’s also happened during home renovations, DIY projects, and even schools, offices, or community spaces where asbestos materials were used.
Not sure when or where you were exposed to asbestos? Don’t worry.
Our experienced asbestos compensation lawyers are here to help you. We’ll ask the right questions, investigate your work and home history, and conduct thorough research to give you the best advice on your asbestos compensation claim. We’re here to support you every step of the way.
We work on a No Win, No Fee basis, meaning if we don’t win your case, you won’t pay our legal fees.
Yes, you can still make a claim. Smoking does not disqualify you from compensation for asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma or lung cancer, and there is no known link between smoking and mesothelioma. Courts recognise asbestos exposure as a separate cause, and your eligibility will depend on medical evidence linking your illness to asbestos, not smoking alone.
Contact our expert dust disease team
Our team of dedicated dust disease lawyers is committed to helping you with your claim.
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Jonathan Walsh
Principal Lawyer, Dust diseases
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Brisbane, QLD
Sydney, NSW
Mount Isa, QLD
Ipswich, QLD
North Lakes, QLD
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(07) 3014 5073
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Sally Weir
Principal Lawyer, Dust diseases
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Melbourne, VIC
Traralgon, VIC
Ringwood, VIC
Mildura, VIC
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(03) 9605 2652
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Ross Sottile
Lawyer, Dust diseases, Asbestos & Silica dust diseases, Work injury
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Melbourne, VIC
Traralgon, VIC
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(03) 8102 2164
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