Occupational Disease Compensation Claims Explained

Occupational disease compensation claims arise where an illness or medical condition develops as a result of workplace exposure over time, rather than from a single accident at work. These conditions are often caused by prolonged exposure to hazardous substances, excessive noise, vibration, dust, or repetitive working practices, with symptoms sometimes appearing many years after employment has ended.

This page acts as a central guide to occupational disease compensation claims, setting out all our occupational disease claim. You will learn both the practical steps you should take and the key principles behind occupational disease compensation claims in the UK, including how such conditions are recognised, when employer liability may arise, the types of evidence typically required to support a claim, what you should do if you suspect you have an industrial disease and how to find a solicitor to help you claim.

In addition, to our claim guides (the focus of this article) you can also access our Industrial Disease Q&As and Compensation Payout Guides.

How to Use This Occupational Disease Compensation Guide

The headings below are used to organise content by initial practical steps to support a claim, stage of the claims process, type of occupational disease and legal principles.

If you already know the condition you are dealing with or are already within the occupational disease claims process, simply use the section headings to find the article of most interest to you.

If you are unsure which condition applies, you may wish to start with the sections outlining common occupational diseases and how employer liability is assessed.

How Employer Liability for Occupational Disease Is Proven

We set out a number of different types of condition and what is necessary prove employer liability for each.

Common Types of Occupational Disease

Discover all about the occupational conditions which can form part of your industrial disease claim in the UK. We include what the most common types of injury are and how they are caused

Asbestos Exposure at Work Claims

Find out what asbestos is together with the special properties asbestos has that caused it to be used throughout the UK. We set out the different types of disease each type of asbestos mineral can cause. We look at health and safety at work and the types of job that would give rise to a claim for compensation.

Acoustic Shock and Occupational Hearing Injury Claims

Discover how call centre workers can claim compensation for hearing loss and tinnitus caused by acoustic shock (unexpected loud noises) from a headset or handset earpiece

Foundry Workers Occupational Disease Claims

Find out the typical injuries that foundry workers may experience when working with molten metal coupled with when a claim can be made against an employer.

Hazardous Substances Exposure at Work Claims

Discover a simple guide to the laws in the United Kingdom used to determine your employer’s legal responsibility for illness from exposure to hazardous substances at work. Find out the importance of your employer’s state of knowledge of how dangerous a material is. We discuss how to make a claim against more than one past employer.

Industrial Deafness and Hearing Loss Claims

Industrial deafness revealed!! What it is and how it is caused. We explain how to show your employer is legally responsible for your noise induced hearing loss claim for compensation.

Mesothelioma Compensation Claims

Discover how to claim compensation for mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases caused by exposure to asbestos fibres in the workplace. How to claim even if you are now living abroad.

Miners’ Occupational Disease Claims

Find out how to claim compensation for the most common types of injury suffered by miners. We discuss the time periods to claim compensation and how much compensation you can claim.

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Claims

What is a repetitive strain injury? We explain how to show your employer is legally responsible for your RSI compensation claim. Further – the steps your employer may take to attempt to avoid responsibility for your claim.

Skin Disease. Dermatitis, Eczema Claims

Discover the different types of skin disease you may experience at work. For example – dermatitis and eczema. Find out how to show employer fault. We set out how to calculate the amount of compensation you can claim.

Tinnitus Compensation Claims

Find out what causes tinnitus in the workplace. Discover why it is related to occupational hearing loss and how to claim from a former or current employer for noise exposure.

Workplace Respiratory and Lung Disease Claims

The dangers to your health of inhaling dust at work should not be underestimated. In this article we set out the respiratory industrial diseases that you can develop from breathing in dust at work. The dangers of dust on the lungs, including scarring of your lungs, fibrosis and pneumoconiosis.

Employer Knowledge, Testing and Records

Asbestos Survey / Employer Precautions

What is an asbestos survey? Find out the precautions your employer should take if your work environment is known or believed to contain asbestos.

Employer Records of Workplace Conditions and Exposure

This page reveals why your employer must keep records of your industrial disease. Why there can be a delay before your employer makes the records. We describe the effect any delay can have on your compensation claim. Discover the records you can use to prove how your occupational disease developed. Information which is essential to support an industrial accident claim.

How Knowledge of Dangerous Noise Levels Has Changed

Find out why you can only claim for exposure to excessive noise in the workplace as from 1963. We set out how the requisite noise level threshold has dropped from 90DB to 80DB. Discover how to calculate when your three years statutory limitation period starts to run from date of knowledge of noise induced hearing loss.

Thinking of Making an Occupational Disease Claim?

Practical Steps When You Suspect an Occupational Disease

Find out why it may take some time before you realise you are suffering an occupational disease. We set out the practical steps you should take as soon as you become aware of your disease. Hence you can ensure you receive the correct medical treatment and your disease is properly recorded by your employer. Invaluable evidence – to support an industrial injury claim for compensation.

How to Start an Occupational Disease Claim

Find out how to start a compensation claim for industrial injury. We explain how the condition determined which employer to make your claim against. Discover how long there is to start your claim before it is too late and some government payments via specific compensation schemes.

Employer’s Liability Insurance

Your solicitor can trace your current and past employer’s liability insurance details. Therefore, you can commence a claim despite your exposure taking place many years ago. We look at claiming when your former employer is no longer in business.

Determining If You Have An Occupational Disease

Diagnosis and Treatment of Occupational Hearing Loss

Discover why your solicitor needs a diagnosis of hearing loss from noise and treatment from the NHS of private bodies before having sufficient evidence to investigate your noise induced hearing loss claim.

Using an Audiogram to Diagnose Noise‑Induced Hearing Loss

Find out about how an audiogram is produced based on an hearing test. Discover other medical evidence your solicitor will need to prove you are suffering from hearing damage due to exposure to noise at work.

Symptoms of Occupational Asthma

Find out the occupational asthma symptoms you are likely to experience due to inhaling air borne irritants at work. We discuss when you are likely to first experience the symptoms and how long you have to start a compensation claim.

Symptoms and Causes of Occupational Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

What are the typical symptoms you might experience should you suffer from hearing loss and tinnitus? We discuss their likely causes and how to claim from a past or present employer for excessive noise exposure at work.

Compensation Payout Amounts

See our occupational disease compensation payout guides for detailed examples of how claims are valued. These pages set out typical compensation ranges for different conditions, together with explanations of how amounts are calculated in practice.

Choosing and Funding a Solicitor for an Occupational Disease Claim

Choosing the right solicitor for an occupational disease claim is important, particularly where exposure may have taken place many years ago or with multiple employers.

You can find out more about how to select a specialist solicitor in our guide to personal injury lawyers, as well as how claims can be funded using a no win no fee agreement, allowing you to pursue compensation without paying legal fees upfront.

Occupational Disease Q&A

See our industrial disease compensation questions and answers for real‑life scenarios and explanations of how claims are assessed in practice.

Summary – Occupational Disease Compensation Claims

This page has brought together the key elements of occupational disease compensation claims, including the types of condition that may give rise to a claim, how employer responsibility is assessed, and the factors considered when progressing a claim.

It also provides a central point of access to the detailed guides on individual conditions, together with related compensation information and question‑based examples covering workplace exposure and long‑term illness.

Free Legal Help

Deciding what to do if you suspect you have a claim for industrial accident or disease can be confusing.

We offer a number of specialist solicitor free help options – providing online and telephone help and assistance.