The value of carers

Carers Week 2019 takes place between the 10^th and 16^th June. This is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring and the challenges unpaid carers face.  It is also an opportunity to recognise the contribution carers make to their families and communities. There are 6.5 million people in the UK considered to be carers.  They help look after a family member or friend who has a mental or physical illness or disability or who needs more help as they get older. The responsibility and impact on people is often underestimated. Carers week tries to highlight the issues and raise awareness whilst providing support and information to carers.

Claiming for additional care and assistance

The role of carers is often very prominent in the work we do at Asbestos Justice. Very often those we are helping pursue claims for asbestos disease compensation, require additional care and assistance as a result of the symptoms caused by their asbestos disease.  Even the less serious asbestos-related conditions such as mild pleural thickening or asbestosis may cause a person significant breathing problems or pain such that they are unable to do all of the things they could previously.  They may need to ask for help with heavier tasks such as food shopping or gardening. In the case of more serious asbestos diseases, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer, the requirement for additional care and assistance can be much greater.  It may be that as well as help and assistance with tasks such as shopping, cleaning, ironing or gardening, that assistance is also required with personal care such as washing or dressing. This may increase as time goes by and as the condition progresses. The additional care and assistance provided to asbestos disease sufferers is recognised in each claim by applying a monetary value to it and a sum of money being sought as compensation for such. The value is calculated individually in each separate asbestos disease claim.  We will discuss with the family the specific care requirements of the person in question and how this might have changed over time.  We will then calculate an estimate of hours spent providing the care and assistance.  We will look at time already spent and try and predict how much care and assistance might be needed in the future.  If this part of the claim is large, we might instruct a care expert to provide a report assisting us with this calculation. The compensation sought for care and assistance recognises that without the care provided by family and friends, private or local authority care would need to be provided and paid for. The claim for this can run into the thousands of pounds. We believe that it is vital to recognise the very important work all carers do.  Some people may not even see themselves as a “carer”, often just helping without even thinking about it.  We are lucky to live in a society where this happens and recognition should be given to this. If you require assistance in pursuing an asbestos compensation claim for mesothelioma or other asbestos disease then please contact us today on our freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, head over to the ‘Contact Us’ page, complete the form and we will be in touch.

The post The value of carers appeared first on Asbestos Justice.

from News – Asbestos Justice http://bit.ly/2ZjVC26
via IFTTT