Industrial disease claim: discover the types of personal injuries which can form part of your industrial injury claim in the UK, including what the most common types of medical condition are and how they are caused.

What is an industrial disease?

"Industrial disease" is the name given to a whole range of injuries, diseases or conditions received in the workplace that are normally caused over a period of time through exposure to harmful materials (such as asbestos) or defective work practices (such as those leading to repetitive strain injuries).

Industrial disease claim

Other names sometimes used for "industrial disease" include "industrial accident", "industrial injury" or more recently "occupational disease".

The word "industrial" is used as many diseases were discovered in the manufacturing industry - where new materials, such as asbestos, were processed for the first time leading to unexpected health problems for a large number of industrial workers.

The word "occupational" is used in more recent times to show that the disease is developed during your "job" or "occupation". Industrial diseases are therefore a type of work injury.

What are the different types of industrial disease you can claim compensation for?

There are many different recognised types of industrial disease you can claim compensation for - the name of the disease often comes from the material or process that caused it, such as:

1. Asbestosis - lung disease caused from breathing in asbestos fibres or particles at work.

2. Asbestos Mesothelioma - a rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos fibres at work.

3. Silicosis - lung disease caused from inhaling silica or quartz dust in the workplace.

4. Repetitive strain injury - a physical condition in your upper body caused from the excessive continuous repetition of certain tasks normally involving your hands.

5. Industrial deafness - a hearing problem caused from exposure to excessive noise, such as loud machinery, in the workplace.

6. Vibration white finger - a physical condition caused from the use of vibrating machinery in the workplace.

7. Industrial dermatitis

8. Occupational asthma

9. Occupational stress

You now know the most common types of industrial disease you can claim compensation for in the UK and how they differ to other types of injury at work.

As soon as you become aware that you are suffering from an industrial disease it is important you take steps to ensure your employer is aware of your injury and you receive the correct medical treatment.