Most people with mesothelioma can make a claim at common law. A common law claim is a claim in court for lump sum compensation. A claim is commenced by filing a Statement of Claim in court.
All States have developed specialised processes to deal with mesothelioma claims. In New South Wales claims are filed in the Dust Diseases Tribunal, a specialist court which has special rules of evidence and procedure to expedite claims. In other States, claims are brought in special lists in the Supreme Court or District Court to ensure that the needs of people with mesothelioma are addressed.
Most claims are brought against a former employer, manufacturer of asbestos products or an occupier of a building. If the employer no longer exists a claim can be made against the employer’s workers’ compensation insurer.
In all States matters proceed to a pre-trial or court appointed settlement conference or a mediation to see if the matter can be resolved prior to the hearing.
Most claims settle at mediation or after mediation but before the trial. If a matter proceeds to hearing, then in most jurisdictions evidence in chief can be given by way of Affidavit. If you are not well enough to travel, then your evidence will be taken at your home or hospital.
The courts will do everything possible to finish a claim in your lifetime. However, if you die before your claim is finished then provided the claim was filed in court in your lifetime, the claim can be continued by your estate at full value.
If you were exposed to asbestos during the course of employment in New South Wales, then you can make a claim at common law as well as receive a pension and have your medical and other expenses paid by the Dust Diseases Authority.
It is not uncommon for a person diagnosed with mesothelioma to not immediately recall where they were exposed to asbestos particularly if they did not work with asbestos. Over the last decade we have seen the rise of “third wave” mesothelioma victims, persons exposed to asbestos outside of work because of home renovations or the work of others.
Two out of three homes built in the period 1940 to 1983 contain asbestos fibro sheets even if only on the eaves and wet area (bathroom, laundry and kitchen). All fibro prior to 1983 contained asbestos.
There is no threshold of exposure to asbestos for the development of mesothelioma. This means you may have had a small exposure to asbestos from renovating or assisting to renovate your home or being present while renovation or building work were carried out by others such as
You may have also been exposed to asbestos through the work of others such as washing a spouse or relative’s work clothes or embracing a spouse or relative when they returned from work in their work clothes.
We have acted for hundreds of persons with asbestos disease over 20 years and have accumulated knowledge, contacts and records to assist you in establishing where you were exposed to asbestos. We will come to your home or hospital and take detailed instructions and conduct research to determine your exposure to asbestos. If we cannot establish were you were exposed to asbestos, you will not be charged for any work we have carried out.
The amount of damages varies between states. However, throughout Australia most mesothelioma claims resolve for between $400,000.00 and $600,000.00 clear in your hand (after all costs and repayments have been deducted) plus any additional compensation that may exist for economic loss and replacement services.
(Note that this amount has increased since the video was made.
If you are successful in your claim, you will be awarded lump sum compensation to compensate you for
If you were exposed to asbestos during employment in New South Wales, your common law settlement will not affect your right to receive a pension and have your medical and other expenses paid by the Dust Diseases Authority.
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The vast majority of claims settle out of court either at a mediation or court appointed settlement conference or in the lead up to the hearing. It is very rare that a matter will proceed to final hearing.
Where matters proceed to court it is usually because of a dispute as to how much a claim is worth. Such a claim will normally take only one or two days to be heard and judgment will be given within a very short space of time, usually a week.
If you are not well enough to attend court, then your evidence will be taken at your home or hospital. In most courts your evidence in chief will be given by a written statement known as an Affidavit.
Segelov Taylor acts on a “no win-no fee” basis in all mesothelioma claims. This means we only recover our fees if you are successful in your claim. You will not be charged any monies up front. We will pay all the disbursements (monies paid out by us for such things as court fees and medical reports). We will not be paid for our work until the successful completion of your matter.
In addition, If you are successful in your claim, then the defendant will be ordered to pay most (generally about 70-85%) of your costs.
Our fees our determined by an hourly rate plus disbursements. We do not charge a percentage of compensation recovered. This model is not legal in Australia.
Start the compensation process by arranging a free case assessment.
In the free initial case assessment we will obtain general information and provide preliminary advice on whether we believe you are likely to have a claim for compensation, the value of any claim and our costs in the event you were to instruct us.
The case assessment is usually via phone (we will call you at the arranged time) or by video conference (such as Zoom or Teams).
There is no cost associated with this case assessment, nor any obligation to instruct us in your matter.
Tanya Segelov is one of Australia’s leading mesothelioma compensation lawyers. She has acted for hundreds of people with mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases over the last 25 years in all states and territories of Australia. She is consistently ranked as a leader in the area by other lawyers.
Tanya acted for the asbestos campaigner, the late Bernie Banton in both his claims against James Hardie and obtaining the first verdict against James Hardie on behalf of a person suffering from mesothelioma exposed to asbestos during home renovations.
Since establishing Segelov Taylor Lawyers in 2016, Tanya has been responsible for several ground breaking cases including:
We provide a free Information Kit about compensation options for people with mesothelioma.
The kit contains information about the processes for obtaining compensation, likely costs and the amount of compensation available. As the law changes depending on which State a person was exposed to asbestos in, information about every State is provided.
There is no cost for requesting the kit. All details provided will remain confidential.
The kit can be provided to parent, spouse or loved one who has mesothelioma and is considering making a compensation claim.
We act on a “no win/no fee” in all mesothelioma, silicosis and other dust disease claims. This means we will only be paid our fees if you are successful in your claim.
You will not be charged any money up front. We will pay all of the disbursements incurred in litigating your claim and we will recover the disbursements and our costs billed on a time basis at the successful completion of your claim.
The defendant will normally pay most (70-80%) of the legal costs as part of a settlement or following a judgment.
We will issue a costs disclosure as soon as possible after taking instructions. The disclosure will set out our estimate of likely fees. Please see our article on fees in mesothelioma claims below.
Courts in all states in Australia generally expedite all mesothelioma claims.
The claims can be completed very quickly, particularly when the plaintiff is very sick. In some cases, claims have been started and finished within a week.
When normal expedition applies, claims usually take between three and six months to complete after the claim is filed.
Provided the claim has been commenced in your lifetime, full damages are available.
Historically, a claim needed to be completed in a person’s lifetime to recover damages for pain and suffering which is usually the most significant part of a claim. However, the law has been changed over the last 15-30 years in all states so that as long as proceedings are filed in your lifetime, rights are preserved. Your estate can continue your claim and recover damages for pain and suffering and loss of expectation of life. The entitlement to some compensation, primarily future economic loss may be affected.
We act on a “no win/no fee” basis which means we will only recover our fees if you are successful in your claim.
You will not be charged any money up front. We will pay all of the disbursements incurred in litigating your claim and we will recover the disbursements and our costs billed on a time basis at the successful completion of your claim.
The defendant will normally pay most (70-80%) of the legal costs as part of a settlement or following a judgment.
We will issue a costs disclosure as soon as possible after taking instructions. The disclosure will set out our estimate of likely fees. Please see our article on fees in mesothelioma claims below.
A common law claim is a claim in a court for lump sum compensation. A claim is normally brought against a former employer, occupier of a building or manufacturer of asbestos products. For a person suffering from mesothelioma or lung cancer a claim usually takes 3 to 6 months to complete but can proceed more quickly if required.
All States have developed specialised processes to deal with dust diseases claims. In Victoria and South Australia there are special lists of the Supreme and District Court to ensure they are dealt with expeditiously. In New South Wales, a specialist court known as the Dust Diseases Tribunal of New South Wales has special rules of evidence and procedure to expedite mesothelioma and other dust disease claims.
Icare is the NSW Workers Compensation authority, and is relevant only if you were exposed to asbestos as a worker in NSW. Part of Icare is known as icare dust diseases and provides compensation for people with mesothelioma who have been exposed to asbestos in the course of employment in New South Wales. ICare used to be known as the Dust Diseases Authority, and before that, for many years, as the Dust Diseases Board.
There is no corresponding body in any other state. The workers compensation authorities in Queensland and Tasmania are relevant where exposure has occurred as a worker in those states, and the DVA is relevant where exposure occurred in the armed services.
Icare compensation is in the form of fortnightly pension payments as well as paying all related medical, hospital, pharmaceutical, nursing and other expenses. f you die as a result of a dust disease your dependant may also be eligible for a lump sum payment and an ongoing pension. Your estate will also receive funeral expenses of p to $15,000.00.
An application to the icare is an administrative process and is separate and in addition to a claim at common law.
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Yes. That is one of the things that is ordinarily compensated.
As part of a common law claim a court will award reasonable medical expenses. A recent decision in a Segelov Taylor matter in the Supreme Court of Western Australia confirmed that new forms of treatment for mesothelioma as prescribed by the treating oncologist were reasonable and the defendant was ordered to pay for the cost of the treatment which amounted to $60,000.00.
People who are entitled to a benefit from Icare (where exposure was as a worker in NSW) is accepted are able to claim the cost of treatments recommended by a treating oncologist.
While the law is different in different states, all Australian states have amended the law so that there is no time limit in which to commence a claim. However, in order to recover damages for pain and suffering and loss of expectation of life, the claim must be commenced in the person’s lifetime.
We can assist.
Your entitlement to bring a claim arises from where you were exposed to asbestos, not where you now live. We have acted for many Australian migrants who develop mesothelioma and who lived in the United Kingdom and other countries where they were exposed to asbestos.
We maintain relationships with lawyers in many countries which enables us to effectively represent these clients.
Exposure to asbestos can have occurred in a wide variety of settings – both at work and outside work. We are expert at working with a client to identify possible periods of exposure, and then locating witnesses and other evidence that can confirm and corroborate exposure.
In order to bring a claim, we need to identify exposure to asbestos. On many occasions we have been able to locate and prove exposure to asbestos that caused disease notwithstanding the client’s initial instructions being that they could not recall any exposure.
For more information see our article Working out where you were exposed to asbestos.
You can claim compensation.
From a legal perspective, the answer is that each exposure caused the disease. Expert evidence accepted by Courts in Australia is that each exposure that is not de minimis (A legal term meaning too small to be meaningful or taken into consideration) and which occurred in the latency period (at least 10 –20 years prior to exposure) is a cause of any mesothelioma which later develops.
The expert evidence accepted by the Court is the “single fibre theory,” the theory that there was one fibre that caused the disease, is wrong. Instead, the disease is caused by the cumulative effect of all exposures.
If you have been exposed in multiple places you can obtain full compensation by suing in respect of any of the places you were exposed. You cannot ‘double-dip’ and sue for a second place of exposure. Typically, “cross-claims” will occur if you have been exposed at multiple places, which operates to share the costs of compensation among the defendants.
Icare compensation and common law claims are provide different compensation.
Almost everyone who receives compensation from icare Dust Disease Care would be entitled to additional compensation by way of a common law claim. These claims do not impact or reduce the icare benefit and are generally worth significantly more than the icare benefit.
There would be little more to say than the professionalism/personal touch and the efficiency in detail within our case, was to say the least, extra ordinary and beyond those high expectations we set.
I say with confidence that the positive outcome Segelov Taylor achieved in my matter, would not have through any another firm, produced a better outcome.
The personal “hands-on” approach by Tanya Segolov and her team made you feel as though your case was the only matter at hand.
Thankyou Tanya, and all, for your truly professional and caring handling that subsequently produced the outcome we achieved.
I have no reservations in recommending the legal firm Segelov Taylor to give anyone requiring legal services and representation in the areas of their expertise.
There were certainly no negatives during my associations, to the contrary, I feel privileged to have been part of their client base, and to have witnessed a positive outcome.
We all approach a legal firm with our own agenda, this company will make your agenda theirs, to the end.
CONGRATULATIONS! On your efforts.
Best regards, BM
Early last year my father was diagnosed with mesothelioma following exposure to asbestos in the workplace over 50 years ago. After conducting thorough internet based research on the various legal firms who specialise in seeking compensation for this condition we made the choice to go with Segelov Taylor Lawyers, being the stand-out law firm. This was the best decision we could have made with a very successful and quick outcome, ideal given my father’s prognosis. He was able to achieve peace of mind in that he could receive any required care and also provide for my mother.
Tanya Segelov and Alex Crisp were able to bring excellent experience to this matter in a compassionate, efficient manner. The effortless way they were able to work with us, while being in another state made the whole process seamless. They were tenacious in securing a fast and just outcome for my father.
I cannot recommend Segelov Taylor Lawyers highly enough. They exceeded all of our expectations in a stress free, compassionate, and professional manner.
AL
28/02/23
Thank you again for your dedication and hard work on this case for us. Because of your experience and wisdom Mum is now able to afford the very best care in the last phase of her life and I’ll be forever grateful for that.
My father thanks you a lot and I also thank you for making this process smooth. With your encouragement and trust, you were able to get him much more. He still doesn’t believe it, but hopefully when he sees his balance in his bank account, it will sink in.
Thanks again.
Dear Tanya,
We would like to let you know how thankful our family is to have engaged such an experienced & knowledgeable lawyer to represent Leon in his mesothelioma case.
From our very first conversation & throughout the entire process you always treated Leon with the utmost respect & kindness. You kept us informed every step of the way & it was very obvious by the way you handled the final negotiations, that you have had many years of experience.
This is an extremely traumatic & devastating time in our family & as much as is possible, the outcome you achieved has helped ease the financial burden.
We have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending your company to anyone who finds themselves faced with this Asbestos induced tragedy.
We contacted Segelov Taylor Lawyers after they were recommended to us as experts in the area of asbestos.
On our first meeting all of my family were very impressed with the professionalism and expertise Tanya showed us. It was obvious from her questions and wisdom in this a particular area that she knew what she was talking about and reassured us that we did in fact have a case.
Throughout the months of research there was constant information and updates and regular emails and phone calls from Segelov Taylor Lawyers which reassured us throughout the whole process that we had employed the right lawyers.
Because of Tanya’s determination, dedication and advise we received a settlement that helped my mother pay for the very best care she needed as her health declined from her asbestos related cancer. My family and I will be forever grateful to Tanya and her team as it meant we could focus on spending time with my mother and organising the best one on one care for her until she passed.