Your claim, explained
Can an illness be investigated after employment ends?
Potentially. Diagnosis, exposure history, causation and time limits matter more than whether you remain employed. A dated account of jobs, sites and tasks is a useful starting point.
Build an exposure history rather than an accident account
Details that help an individual assessment
List employers, sites, tasks and relevant exposure periods. Explain frequency, controls and symptom development. A job title alone does not prove exposure; similarly named roles can involve very different conditions.
Medical records and employment evidence answer different questions. Keep separate records for each employer and disclose other possible causes. Old payslips, pension documents and colleague details can help trace work history without requiring a complete archive before an enquiry.
Before you contact us
Start with an exposure history, not just a diagnosis
A condition that develops over time may involve several workplaces, tasks or periods of exposure. List the employers, dates, processes and substances you remember. An approximate history is a useful starting point; mark uncertain dates rather than presenting them as confirmed facts.
Useful information to have to hand
- Create a work-history list, including previous trading names and locations.
- Keep diagnosis letters and information about when symptoms were first investigated.
- Identify colleagues who may remember the work environment or protective measures.
A point worth checking early
Different conditions raise different causation and deadline questions. Do not assume the date of retirement or the date you stopped working is the only relevant date.
Request an individual assessment →Industrial disease claims concern illness that develops over time because of workplace exposure rather than a single accident. The symptoms may appear years after the employment ended, which raises particular questions about limitation, employment history and which insurer must respond.
We investigate historic employment records, trace insurers and obtain the medical evidence needed to link the condition to the exposure. We will explain the process honestly and set out the funding options available to you.
Find your specific claim or injury
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Distinguish a single chemical incident from cumulative exposure, preserving product identification and the route of contact.
Discuss this claim : Chemical injury claimsOsteoarthritis-related injury claims
Assess whether an accident or occupational exposure caused or accelerated particular joint problems rather than attributing all arthritis to work.
Discuss this claim : Osteoarthritis-related injury claimsCold injury claims
Assess prolonged cold or wet exposure through the task, protective arrangements, symptom history and medical diagnosis.
Discuss this claim : Cold injury claimsWhen can you pursue compensation?
- You developed a condition linked to exposure at work, such as respiratory disease, dermatitis, vibration injury or hearing loss.
- Your employer failed to control the exposure or to provide adequate protection, monitoring and information.
- The three-year period generally runs from the date you first knew your condition was likely work-related, not from the exposure itself.
- Claims can proceed even where the employer has been dissolved, if the historic insurer can be traced.
Circumstances to discuss with a solicitor
- Occupational asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from dust and fumes
- Hand-arm vibration syndrome from prolonged tool use
- Occupational dermatitis from solvents, cement and cutting fluids
- Silicosis and other dust-related lung disease
- Repetitive strain and upper limb disorders from poor workstation design
- Chemical sensitisation from inadequate ventilation or PPE
What Compensation Could I Claim?
- Damages for the condition, its symptoms and its likely progression
- Loss of earnings where you had to reduce hours, change role or retire early
- Cost of treatment, medication and specialist equipment
- Care and assistance where daily tasks are affected
- Any state benefits interaction, which we will explain in your case
Recoverable compensation depends on the injury evidence, supported losses and applicable claim route.
Evidence That Helps
- Employment history from HMRC records where your own records are incomplete
- Details of the processes, substances and tools you worked with
- Health surveillance records and any COSHH assessments
- Medical evidence from a respiratory, dermatology or occupational specialist
- Colleagues' recollections of working conditions at the relevant time
How Long Could the Claim Take?
These claims take time. Tracing insurers, obtaining decades-old records and instructing the right medical expert can occupy many months before liability is even addressed. We will explain each stage as it is reached.
Costs and funding for industrial disease claims
What to clarify before you instruct
Ask about historical records, insurer tracing and expert costs before approving a disease investigation.
Compare funding options and potential cost risks
Industrial Disease Claims FAQs
I left that job years ago. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. Limitation generally runs from the date of knowledge that your condition was work-related, which may be recent even if the exposure was not.
The company no longer exists. What then?
Insurer tracing services can often locate the employers' liability policy that was in force during your employment.
I worked for several employers. Who is responsible?
Liability may be shared between employers according to the extent of exposure with each. We investigate the whole employment history.
Will claiming affect my benefits?
Compensation can interact with means-tested benefits and with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. We will flag this and, where appropriate, advise on options such as a personal injury trust.
What if employment dates are uncertain?
Label estimates honestly. Payslips, pension documents and correspondence may refine the history without inventing precise dates.
Should I list agency work?
Include temporary periods, workplaces, tasks and who paid you. The agency name alone may not explain the exposure conditions.
Can different exposures matter together?
Describe noise, dust, vibration or substances separately. Medical significance should be assessed rather than assuming one hazard explains every symptom.
Are occupational health records useful?
They may document monitoring and symptoms. Obtain records lawfully and explain their source rather than accessing employer systems without authority.
What if colleagues have similar symptoms?
Their accounts may suggest enquiries but do not establish your diagnosis. Avoid presenting unverified medical information about colleagues as fact.
Can vibration symptoms be assessed?
Provide tools, work patterns and medical findings. A diagnosis cannot be inferred from the fact that a job involved vibrating equipment.
Should protected work periods be included?
Yes. Describe protection supplied, training and actual use. Do not omit employment solely because some protective equipment existed.
What if there are non-work causes?
Disclose relevant history. Several possible contributors may need assessment, and selective information can undermine a reliable opinion.
Can pension papers help identify employers?
They may establish names and periods. Note mergers, trading names and sites only where supported by recollection or documents.
How should I describe dust exposure?
Explain the material, task, ventilation and frequency remembered. Do not invent concentrations or chemical composition without reliable records.
Must diagnosis be complete before an enquiry?
You can ask about evidence preservation and deadlines earlier. State what is confirmed and what remains under investigation.
What if part of my career was overseas?
Separate countries and dates. Applicable law, jurisdiction and deadlines require individual assessment rather than assuming one domestic process covers everything.
Can self-employed workers enquire?
Describe workplace control and task instructions as well as contractual status. Tax treatment alone does not answer every responsibility question.
Are old workplace photographs useful?
Label their date and location. Distinguish photographs of your work from generic industry images that do not prove your exposure.
Should I retain benefit decisions?
Keep relevant letters. Benefit assessments and compensation claims serve different purposes and may need coordinated advice.
What if an employer no longer trades?
Provide historical names, sites and documents. The absence of a current address does not establish that all insurance or employment evidence is unavailable.
Speak to our team
Explain the injury and any approaching deadline. We will confirm whether we can assess your enquiry.
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