PVC Exposure
Compensation Claims

If a PVC exposure injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a PVC exposure injury, we can help. You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a specialist solicitor.

You are not alone

Exposure to harmful chemicals during the manufacture or processing of PVC and other plastics can cause a range of serious health issues, including lung disease and cancers.

An estimated 19,000 new work-related cases of lung problems are reported every year (hse.gov.uk).

Employers must protect their workforce from dangerous emissions and chemical exposure (hse.gov.uk). If your employer has failed to protect you, and you have become ill as a result, you may be able to claim compensation.

How much compensation can I claim for PVC exposure?

The amount of compensation you can claim for PVC exposure depends on:

• the seriousness of your injury,
• the impact of your injury on your daily life and ability to work,
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred due to your injury.

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

Special damages is compensation for quantifiable financial losses you've incurred as a result of your PVC exposure Compensation can include loss of wages, commission and any other income income, and any additional expenses directly related to your injury.

These damages may also cover any medical or treatment bills, such as medical monitoring and psychological support.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Average PVC exposure compensation payouts

The following PVC exposure payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).

These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.

Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).

Chest injuries

Lung disease

Am I entitled to make a PVC exposure claim?

If you've been injured or diagnosed with an illness in the last three years and it wasn't your fault, you will be able to claim compensation.

Use our injury claim calculator to find out if you can claim. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.

How long do I have to claim PVC exposure compensation?

An injury claim will usually need to be made within 3 years of the date or your accident or injury.

If you were not immediately aware that you were harmed by someone else's negligence, the 3-year time limit runs from the date you were diagnosed and became aware of what caused your injury or illness.

What obligations do employers have to manage PVC exposure?

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) contains a number of 'thermal degradation products' that are released when the material is heated.

Many of PVC's thermal degradation chemicals are harmful and include:

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

Neither PVC nor its thermal degradation products were considered dangerous until the 1960s. Since 1974, there have been strict regulations designed to minimise exposure to PVC (jstor.org). High exposure to the chemical and its by-products is now thought to cause a range of serious illnesses, including liver cancer.

Employers are legally obliged to protect their staff from harmful levels of exposure to PVC, though monitoring exposure, training, suitable PPE and other methods (hse.org.uk).

See also:

Benzene and industrial chemicals exposure claims

Why PVC remains problematic material (zerowasteeurope.eu)

What are the symptoms of PVC exposure?

If you are exposed to vinyl chloride for a short period of time by inhalation, you may experience coughing and find that breathing becomes more difficult. Headaches and a feeling of extreme tiredness can also result from inhaling vinyl chloride. In extreme cases, high levels of short term inhalation can induce a coma.

If PVC is swallowed, or ingested, it can cause a person to vomit and to experience pain in the stomach. If the chemical enters the via the skin, vinyl chloride can cause skin irritation, burns injuries and dermatitis. Those who ingest harmful levels of PVC are often not immediately aware of any immediate ill-effects, which can make it difficult to establish later how the exposure occurred.

Individuals who once worked in the manufacturing industry may be diagnosed with a condition that relates to PVC exposure that occurred years earlier.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classed vinyl chloride as a known human carcinogen. The EPA has reported that when some workers were exposed to PVC, they developed a condition known as 'vinyl chloride disease'. The disease has similar symptoms to Raynaud's disease: numbness and pain in the fingers; pain in the joints and muscles; and some skin changes. Long term exposure to vinyl chloride is also reported to have had various effects on the nervous system.

See also:

Burn injury claims

Testing for Vinyl Chloride

If your exposure to PVC was relatively recent, it may be possible to detect its presence in your body. If this is possible, the chemical would be found in your urine or tissues. If your exposure to vinyl chloride occurred several years ago, it may be difficult to find conclusive proof.

However, if you have had symptoms that suggest exposure to PVC, and a medical professional considers that your condition was caused by your previous working environment, you may be able to claim compensation.

Understanding employer liability for PVC exposure

Most injury claims for PVC exposure involve employer negligence. Click the icon below to learn more about the claims process.

Work accidents Other accidents

Author:
Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher

About the author

Gaynor Haliday is an experienced legal researcher and published author. She has had numerous articles published in the press and is a legal industry commentator.