Claiming Vinyl Chloride Compensation

Vinyl chloride is a colourless, flammable gas. It is a substance that is manufactured to make polyvinyl chloride, more commonly referred to as PVC, which is then used to make various different plastic products. Vinyl chloride has been used in polymerisation and PVC fabrication plants in various different parts of the UK, such as Dow Corning Chemicals.

As the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) outline, vinyl chloride contains various thermal degradation products that are released when the material is heated. If you work in an industrial role involved in the production or use of vinyl chloride, such as in a plastic factory, you could have been exposed to one of the harmful products that are released when vinyl chloride is heated.

To assess your claim, contact us on 0800 808 9740 or online.

Vinyl Chloride Compensation: Harmful Chemicals

There are various different harmful chemicals, or products, that are associated with vinyl chloride. These include:

• Benzene.
• Methylmethacrylate.
• Naphthalene.
• Indene.
• Methyl Chloride.
• Hydrogen Chloride.
• Toluene Styrene.
• Methanol.
• Phenanthrene.

Since 1974, there have been very strict government regulations that help to minimise exposure to PVC/vinyl chloride. This is because it was discovered in the 1960s that the thermal degradation products associated with PVC/vinyl chloride are dangerous to people when they are exposed to them over a long period of time.

Symptoms of Vinyl Chloride Exposure

There are certain symptoms that are likely to appear if you have been exposed to vinyl chloride. The most common symptoms are:

• Dizziness.
• Inebriation.
• Fatigue.
• Numbness.
• Ataxia.
• Visual disturbances or confusion.
• Eye irritation.
• Irritation of the respiratory tract.

If you are exposed to high levels of vinyl chloride in gas form, you could even go into a coma or you could potentially die. However, this is unlikely to happen if you have been exposed to vinyl chloride in small amounts over a long period of time.

If you have been exposed to dangerous substances associated with vinyl chloride, you could be able to claim compensation. To find out how much compensation you can claim, speak to First Personal Injury as soon as possible.

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Employer Responsibility

All employers have a duty to ensure the health and safety of their employees. If you work in a plastic factory or another environment where you could potentially be exposed to dangerous chemicals, there are specific regulations that your employer should follow. These regulations include:

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks to ensure that you don’t inhale any dangerous chemicals.
• Training – so that you and your colleagues know how to safely complete your job role.
• Risk assessments – the work environment and work processes should be regularly assessed to ensure that any risks are identified and dealt with.

If you believe that your employer has failed to uphold this duty of care, you could be able to claim compensation as a result.

Vinyl Chloride Compensation

There amount of vinyl chloride compensation that you will be awarded will be specific to the details of your case. that you are awarded is therefore unique to each specific case. The amount of medical negligence compensation that you are awarded will be determined by two categories: general damages and special damages.

General Damages

General damages refers to the physical and emotional damage caused by your injuries or illness. In the simplest terms, it refers to compensation for pain and suffering. This type of compensation also covers any losses of amenity, aka a decrease in ability to function, that has arisen from the injuries sustained in an accident. To view estimates for personal injury types, visit our compensation calculator.

Special Damages

Special damages compensation refers to compensation that covers the financial losses and expenses incurred as a result of an accident or medical negligence. Special damages could help to reclaim a loss of income if you have been unable to work due to your vinyl chloride-related illness. Similarly, if you have had to pay to go a medical appointment or if you had to pay to travel to a medical appointment, you could be able to claim these medical costs back.

Making Personal Injury Claims

If you have suffered a personal injury, you may be entitled to receive compensation. First Personal Injury solicitors are available to assist you and ensure that you win the compensation that you deserve.

First Personal Injury work with both families and individuals across England and Wales, leading them on their legal journey and helping them claim compensation after an accident or injury. Contact our specialist team to begin the process, either by phone on 0800 808 9740 or through our online form.