Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
Chromium Poisoning
If you are suffering from an illness or disease caused by exposure to chromium, you may be entitled to claim compensation. Our specialist personal injury solicitors can provide expert claim advice and assistance, so contact us on 0800 032 8511 or complete a claim enquiry form.
What is Chromium?
Health Effects of Chromium
What if I Have Been Exposed to Chromium?
Chromium Poisoning Compensation
Specialist Claim Advice
What is Chromium?
Chromium is a naturally occurring metal which has a variety of uses, including:
- Production of certain alloys, including stainless steel
- Electroplating
- Metal coatings
- Paint pigments
- Cement
- Wood preservatives
As chromium can be hazardous to your health, it is important that anyone working with or around it does so safely. You can find further information about working safely with chromium on the HSE website.
Health Effects of Chromium
Prolonged contact with chromium can cause a person to suffer a range of illnesses and conditions. Dependent upon the type of compound and exposure, these range from skin disorders, such as contact dermatitis, to respiratory problems like irrritation of the airways or occupational asthma.
In some cases of chronic exposure, workers have been known to develop ulcers and damage to their nasal septum, or even kidney damage.
A more rare effect, caused only by certain, carcinogenic chromium compounds found in specific industries, is an increased risk of lung cancer.
What if I Have Been Exposed to Chromium?
Chromium is commonly found in steel manufacturing, textile pigments and the chrome plating industry. Therefore employers in these industries have a responsibility to keep their employees and the public safe. There are a number of regulations that apply to chromium use, including the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (or COSHH), and the 1931 Chomium Plating Regulations.
If the negligence of your employer or another party has caused you to suffer an illness or injury related to chromium exposure, you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim for compensation.
Anyone who has been exposed to an irritant or hazardous substance and suspects that this may have caused a personal injury or disease, should seek medical advice immediately. In every case, medical evidence will be required. Detailed expert evidence is often also required in disease cases to show that the condition suffered by a claimant was caused by exposure to a particular substance.
In any personal injury claim it is necessary to show that the person you are making a claim against owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty of care (were negligent), and that the injury you sustained was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that negligence.
If a family member has died from a disease caused by exposure to chromium, it may still be possible to make a compensation claim posthumously.
Chromium Poisoning Compensation
There are two elements to a compensation award. The first is for the pain and suffering you may have gone through and what is known as loss of amenity. This is called general damages and can include an award for your inability to do things that you used to be able to do before (eg wash your car, household chores, walk the dog etc). The award for loss of amenity can be for a short period or for ever if that is what the medical evidence supports.
The second element of a compensation award is for your losses and expenses and is known as special damages. It is important to keep receipts for any expenditure you have related to the incident, so that these can be reclaimed. The aim is to put you back in a position financially as if the chromium poisoning had never occurred.
Specialist Claim Advice
At The Legal Line, our lawyers specialise in all areas of personal injury, including industrial disease, and have experience in recovering compensation for victims of chromium poisoning. They can provide expert advice and assistance in reviewing your case and working towards the best possible outcome.
Contact us
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"This compensation is not going to bring my health back. But it will make sure my wife will be looked after. It's a big relief to know that this has all been sorted out in my lifetime."
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