Latex Allergy Claims

Who Is Affected?

Latex allergy is an increasingly common health problem for workers who wear rubber gloves. This allergy is very common in health care staff such as nurses and laboratory technicians. The most common effects are asthma and skin problems. The problems can be so acute that sensitisation to rubber can occur. If this happens a sufferer can experience an allergic reaction after simply coming into contact with an item that previously contained rubber.

Symptoms

Asthma itself is a disorder in the sufferer's breathing brought about by a narrowing of his or her airways and is usually defined as airways narrowing which is reversible over short periods of time either spontaneously or as a result of treatment. Asthma attacks are frequently initiated by some kind of external irritant.

As with many respiratory irritants, latex allergens can also cause skin irritation and rhinitis if proper precautions are not taken to prevent contact. Asthma which is hypersensitivity induced, as in this case, will normally only develop several weeks or months from initial exposure to the cause.

Latex allergy is of particular concern not only because of the subsequent risks of latex exposure at work, but also because of the high risk posed by subsequent exposure which may be hidden and difficult to avoid. In some cases subsequent contact may result in an anaphylactic reaction.

As with some other asthma inducing agents, sensitisation often causes increased susceptibility to other substances.

Legal Requirements

There are detailed legal regulations which are designed to protect workers from exposure to chemicals and other substances such as latex in the workplace - the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations otherwise known as the COSHH Regulations. Anyone who has experienced, or suspects they may have experienced, exposure to an irritant which has brought about or heightened the onset of Asthma or skin problems in the course of carrying out their work may be entitled to claim compensation.

Our lawyers specialising in claims for compensation for latex allergy are able to help you review the ways in which the allergy, brought on or worsened by your work, may have impacted on your life and family, and possibly on your ability to work at all. Based on this, and on their understanding of the difficulties which work related latex allergy may lead to you having to deal in the future, our lawyers will be able to help you in claiming compensation in the most appropriate way possible. Family members who suspect that a deceased relative may have died as a result of irritants encountered in the workplace may be able to claim posthumous compensation.

Levels of Compensation

Levels of compensation for latex allergy differ according to the severity of the condition and how it affects the individual in their work and leisure. Clear Answers lawyers can provide expert legal advice and assistance on compensation claims for latex allergy.

We believe our lawyers have established the most important recent legal precedent for those harmed at work by substances which cause injury. In the case of Dugmore v Swansea NHS Trust (2003) we successfully argued that whenever a safer alternative to something that has caused injury is available at work, the employer must be liable for the damage done,even if they could not foresee the harm which was going to be done.In this case a nurse had suffered dermatitis from working with latex gloves.

This is a very important argument for those injured through exposure to substances at work and is a good example of our positive, ground-breaking approach.

If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Clear Answers to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for yourself. Telephone us now on 0800 783 9019 or complete one of our online compensation claim forms.