Dear Lord Freud The 2013 Mesothelioma Bill in its current form is unfair and punitive. It imposes arbitrary deadlines on already-vulnerable people, depriving them of vital compensation.We call on you to amend the bill to ensure that everyone who is affected by asbestos exposure get 100% of the compensation owed to them.
Anyone who is exposed to asbestos at work, and subsequently develops mesothelioma cancer, is entitled to compensation from their employer. However, many people can’t be paid compensation because they can’t track down the company who insured their employer at the time of exposure, which could have been many decades ago.The government is currently legislating to set up a scheme where they will compensate those affected if they can’t find the relevant insurer. However, they’ve imposed a cut-off date of 25th July 2012 so anyone diagnosed before that date can’t claim from the new scheme. This arbitrarily punishes people struggling with life-threatening illnesses.And they’ve capped the compensation someone can claim to 70% of the average compensation paid through the civil court system. This robs people of vital funds they need at a difficult time of their lives. This government is crippling individuals, to save themselves pennies.Sign this petition and demand fair, compassionate treatment for all asbestos-affected people.
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