Silicosis Compensation Claims
Silicosis is a serious and incurable occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of respirable crystalline silica dust — a hazard found in construction, quarrying, stone work, sandblasting, foundries, and increasingly the engineered stone (artificial quartz) worktop industry. The disease produces progressive scarring of lung tissue, breathlessness, and eventual respiratory failure. The Health and Safety Executive considers silica dust one of the most serious occupational lung hazards in the UK, alongside asbestos. Recent years have seen worrying increases in accelerated silicosis among stone fabricators working with engineered quartz worktops — particularly among younger workers who developed severe disease within a few years of exposure. Where employers failed to protect workers from silica exposure, UK personal injury law provides routes to substantial compensation.
In this guide
- What Is Silicosis?
- Where Silica Exposure Occurs
- The Legal Framework
- Symptoms and Diagnosis
- Time Limits
- Tracing Historic Employers
- What Compensation Could You Receive?
- Evidence Requirements
- No Win No Fee Silicosis Claims
- Common Questions About Silicosis Claims
- Related Guides
- Our Partner's Fees Explained
- Check If You Could Claim Compensation For Your Injury
This guide explains how UK silicosis claims work, the medical framework, common exposure scenarios, and how to start a claim on a no win no fee basis.
What Is Silicosis?
The Disease Process
Silicosis develops when respirable crystalline silica particles:
- Reach the deep lung (alveoli)
- Trigger inflammatory response
- Cause progressive fibrosis (scarring)
- Impair gas exchange
- Eventually produce respiratory failure
Three Main Forms
- Develops after 10-20+ years of exposure
- Slowly progressive
- Most common historical pattern
- May continue progressing after exposure stops
- Develops within 5-10 years of intense exposure
- More rapidly progressive
- Increasingly common in engineered stone workers
- More aggressive course
- Develops within weeks to a few years of very heavy exposure
- Rapid progression to respiratory failure
- Often fatal within months
- Historically associated with sandblasting
Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF)
Advanced silicosis with:
- Large masses of fibrotic tissue
- Severe respiratory impairment
- Major disability
- Reduced life expectancy
Where Silica Exposure Occurs
High-Risk Industries
UK silica-exposing industries:
- Construction (particularly cutting, drilling concrete/stone)
- Stone masonry and stone work
- Engineered stone (quartz worktop) fabrication
- Quarrying
- Sandblasting and abrasive blasting
- Foundry work
- Glass and ceramic manufacturing
- Brick manufacturing
- Tunnelling
- Demolition
The Engineered Stone Crisis
A worrying recent trend — engineered stone (artificial quartz) worktops:
- Contains 90+ per cent silica (compared to 30 per cent in natural granite)
- Cutting and polishing releases massive silica dust
- Has caused accelerated silicosis in fabricators globally
- Australia has banned engineered stone
- UK cases are emerging
Workers cutting and polishing engineered stone without adequate dust control face serious risk of accelerated silicosis — sometimes within 5-10 years of starting work. HSE has issued specific guidance on engineered stone hazards.
Specific Risk Tasks
- Dry cutting of stone
- Grinding and polishing
- Drilling concrete or masonry
- Sandblasting
- Tunnelling and excavation
- Demolition of concrete structures
The Legal Framework
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
Employers must:
- Assess silica exposure risk
- Eliminate exposure where reasonably practicable
- Control exposure to as low as reasonably practicable
- Ensure exposure below Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL)
- Provide health surveillance
- Train workers
UK Workplace Exposure Limit
The UK WEL for respirable crystalline silica:
- 0.1 mg/m3 over 8-hour TWA
- Stricter than some jurisdictions
- But still produces silicosis in many cases
- HSE considers further reduction
Specific Duties for Silica
- Risk assessment specific to silica
- Wet cutting methods where possible
- Local exhaust ventilation
- Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
- Health surveillance (lung function, chest X-rays)
- Worker training on hazards
Common Employer Failures
UK silicosis claims typically involve:
- No risk assessment for silica
- Dry cutting where wet cutting feasible
- No or inadequate ventilation
- Inadequate RPE provided
- No health surveillance
- No worker training
- Inadequate hygiene measures
- Continued exposure after symptoms reported
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Common Symptoms
- Progressive breathlessness
- Persistent cough
- Chest tightness
- Reduced exercise tolerance
- Fatigue
Diagnostic Process
- Detailed occupational history
- Chest X-ray (showing characteristic nodular pattern)
- High-resolution CT scan
- Lung function tests (typically restrictive pattern)
- Sometimes lung biopsy
- Sometimes bronchoscopy
Associated Conditions
Silicosis is associated with increased risk of:
- Tuberculosis (silicotuberculosis)
- Lung cancer (silica is a recognised carcinogen)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Autoimmune diseases
- Kidney disease
- Heart strain
Time Limits
Industrial disease time limits are complex:
The 3-Year Limit
Claims must typically be brought within 3 years of:
- The date of diagnosis, OR
- The date you reasonably should have known your symptoms were caused by silica exposure
For long-developing diseases, this is often years or decades after exposure.
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Silicosis is a prescribed disease for IIDB purposes:
- Available alongside personal injury claim
- No requirement to prove employer fault
- Separate process from the claim
Tracing Historic Employers
Many silicosis cases involve exposure decades ago. The Employers’ Liability Tracing Office (ELTO) helps:
- Identify historic insurers
- Track defunct employers’ insurance
- Provides records back to 1972
For pre-1972 cases or where insurance cannot be traced, the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 provisions and government schemes may apply.
What Compensation Could You Receive?
General Damages
JC Guidelines provide brackets for industrial chest diseases:
- Mild symptoms with minimal lung function loss — typically £14,140 to £18,020
- Moderate symptoms with some restriction — typically £25,810 to £43,060
- Significant respiratory disability — typically £43,060 to £55,000
- Severe respiratory disability requiring oxygen — typically £55,000 to £100,000+
- End-stage disease — typically £80,000-£150,000+
Special Damages
- Lost earnings during illness
- Future loss of earnings (often substantial — career-ending)
- Care costs
- Medical treatment costs
- Oxygen equipment
- Aids and adaptations
- Future treatment
Fatal Cases
For fatal silicosis cases:
- Estate continues claim (1934 Act)
- Dependants have Fatal Accidents Act 1976 claims
- Bereavement award (currently £15,120)
- Funeral costs
- Dependency calculations
See our fatal accident compensation guide.
Evidence Requirements
Employment History
- Detailed work history
- Specific tasks performed
- Duration of exposure
- Work conditions
- PPE provided (or not)
Medical Evidence
- Complete medical records
- Imaging studies
- Lung function tests
- Specialist respiratory expert report
- Sometimes occupational hygiene expert
Causation Evidence
- Linking exposure to disease
- Sometimes mineralogical analysis
- Industry comparison evidence
No Win No Fee Silicosis Claims
Silicosis claims run on no win no fee Conditional Fee Agreements. The success fee — capped under LASPO 2012 at 25 per cent of general damages and past losses (future losses excluded) — is deducted from compensation. After-the-Event insurance protects against adverse costs. The ATE premium is normally payable only if you win, deducted from your compensation — it is no longer recoverable from the defendant — and your solicitor must explain how the premium and disbursements are treated before you sign (see how ATE insurance works). Specialist industrial disease solicitors handle these cases. See our how no win no fee works guide.
Common Questions About Silicosis Claims
I worked with engineered quartz worktops and now have lung problems. Can I claim?
Very likely yes. Engineered stone fabricators worldwide have been developing accelerated silicosis at alarming rates — sometimes within a few years of starting work. Where employers failed to: provide adequate dust control (wet cutting, ventilation), provide proper RPE, conduct health surveillance, or comply with COSHH requirements, claims succeed. Specialist industrial disease solicitors are actively pursuing engineered stone silicosis cases. Diagnosis confirmation through specialist respiratory assessment is the first step.
My silicosis came from work decades ago. Is it too late?
Probably not. The 3-year limit runs from when you reasonably should have known the disease was work-related — typically the date of diagnosis. Many silicosis claimants successfully bring cases against employers from 20-40 years ago. The Employers’ Liability Tracing Office finds historic insurers. Specialist industrial disease solicitors handle complex tracing as standard. See our time limits guide.
My former employer is no longer trading. Can I still claim?
Often yes. The Employers’ Liability Tracing Office identifies the relevant insurer at the time of exposure. Employers’ Liability insurance is compulsory under the 1969 Act — the policy continues to cover claims even if the employer subsequently went out of business. Specialist solicitors trace historic insurers as standard practice. Where no insurer can be traced (rare), specific government schemes may apply.
I have silicosis plus other conditions. How is that valued?
Silicosis is associated with increased risk of: tuberculosis, lung cancer, COPD, autoimmune disease, kidney disease. Where these associated conditions developed and are connected to the silica exposure, they form part of the same claim or generate parallel claims. Specialist solicitors and respiratory experts assess the full picture. Combined valuations can be substantially higher than silicosis alone.
How much could a silicosis claim be worth?
Highly dependent on severity. Mild silicosis with minimal symptoms might settle £15,000-£30,000. Significant silicosis with substantial respiratory impact typically £50,000-£150,000. Severe silicosis requiring oxygen and severely impacting life typically £100,000-£300,000+. Combined with lost earnings (often substantial for younger workers), care costs, and future medical needs, total settlements for severe cases can exceed £500,000. Fatal cases involve Fatal Accidents Act claims.
How long do silicosis claims take?
Typically 18 months to 3 years. Cases involving historic employer tracing or contested causation can take 3-5 years. Group actions (such as those potentially arising from engineered stone) sometimes resolve through structured group settlements. See our how long does a claim take guide.
Related Guides
Industrial Disease Claims | UK Compensation
Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer Claims
Work-Related Emphysema & COPD Claims
Personal Injury Claim Time Limits UK
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