If a TCE 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 TCE exposure, we can help. You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a specialist solicitor.
Injuries from TCE exposure are reported every year, you are not alone
Employers have a duty to protect workers from the risks associated with TCE or 'Trike'. This duty includes keeping exposure within the recommended guidelines using preventative controls and measures.
The HSE enforces safe limits of TCE exposure in the workplace and sets out guidelines for managing spillage incidents and other accidental exposure (gov.uk).
If you have been made ill by experienced excessive or repeated exposure as a result of your employer's negligence, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.
How much compensation can I claim for TCE exposure?
Compensation for trichloroethylene exposure is determined by:
- how significant your illness is,
- how your illness affects your everyday life and work,
- any economic losses or costs you?ve incurred due to your illness.
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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 are awarded to compensate you for any costs or losses you've incurred or might incur as a result of your accident. These costs might include loss of earnings (including future anticipated earnings loss), retraining costs, career trajectory impact, or any other out of pocket expenses.
Special damages may also be awarded for medical treatments or procedures that you might need to treat your injury, including decontamination, 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 trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure general damages compensation table
The following trichloroethylene (TCE) 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).
Asthma & breathing difficulty
Severity | Example | Amount |
---|---|---|
Mild | Mild asthma, bronchitis, colds, & chest problems that resolve within months | Up to £5,710 |
Modest | Relatively mild asthma-like symptoms | £11,810 to £21,300 |
Bronchitis/Wheezing | Bronchitis and wheezing that affects your work and social life | £21,300 to £29,170 |
Chronic | Chronic asthma that causes breathing difficulties and you require an inhaler from time to time | £29,170 to £47,720 |
Severe | Severe and permanent disabling asthma, and/or prolonged and regular coughing that affects your daily life and ability to work | £47,770 to £72,950 |
Chest injuries
Severity | Example | Amount |
---|---|---|
Toxic fume or smoke inhalation | Some lung damage, but lung function is not affected | £5,910 to £13,970 |
Damage to chest or lung | Some ongoing disability | £34,740 to £60,840 |
Dermatitis
Severity | Example | Amount |
---|---|---|
Short-term dermatitis | Affecting hands or other parts of the body (other than your face and scalp), where symptoms resolve with treatment, or short term aggravation of an existing condition | £1,890 to £4,380 |
Longer-term dermatitis | Affecting hands or other parts of the body (other than your face and scalp), where symptoms take several months or years to resolve with treatment | £9,590 to £12,660 |
Dermatitis lasting years or indefinitely | Symptoms that last indefinitely, and that affect your daily life and ability to work | £15,250 to £21,300 |
Eye injury
Severity | Example | Amount |
---|---|---|
Short-term eye injury | Complete recovery within a few weeks | £2,450 to £4,380 |
Minor eye injury | Pain and temporary interference with vision during your recovery | £4,380 to £9,690 |
Head & brain injuries
Severity | Example | Amount |
---|---|---|
Minor (relatively) | Minimal brain damage with headaches and/or ongoing symptoms | £2,450 to £14,160 |
Moderate - level 1 | Good recovery, but with ongoing symptoms (e.g. poor concentration and memory) | £17,000 to £47,770 |
Moderate - level 2 | Your ability to work is reduced, and ongoing symptoms include poor concentration and memory, and a risk of epilepsy | £47,770 to £100,650 |
Lung disease
Severity | Example | Amount |
---|---|---|
Temporary aggravation of bronchitis | Temporary aggravation of existing bronchitis or other chest problems, with recovery in a few months | £2,450 to £5,910 |
Slight breathlessness | Slight breathlessness with no effect on your working life, with full recovery expected within a few years likely | £11,810 to £23,070 |
Bronchitis and wheezing | Bronchitis and wheezing with little or no impact on your work or social life | £23,070 to £34,740 |
Breathing difficulties | Breathing difficulties and/or asthma that requires frequent use of an inhaler, and that affects your daily life and ability to work | £34,740 to £60,840 |
Non-facial body scars
Severity | Example | Amount |
---|---|---|
Minor | Burns with scarring and ongoing pain | £2,630 to £8,690 |
Moderate | Scarring such as an exploratory laparotomy scar | Around £9,590 |
Serious | A noticeable laceration scar or single disfiguring scar | £8,690 to £25,220 |
Severe | Severe burns with continuing pain and psychological injury | Up to £116,300 |
Am I entitled to make a trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure claim?
In general, you can claim compensation if you were hurt:
- within the last 3 years, and;
- another person was to blame, and;
- that person owed you a duty of care.
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 start a trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure claim?
An injury claim will usually need to be made within 3 years of the date or your accident or injury.
You may still be able to claim compensation if you were injured by another's negligence and you only discovered it later. Generally, the clock starts ticking from the date you were diagnosed or became aware of your injury.
TCE exposure in the workplace
Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a non-flammable liquid chlorinated hydrocarbon used as an industrial solvent. A known toxin, TCE is also an irritant and probable carcinogen (gov.uk).
Exposure to trichloroethylene can be environmental, notably in areas where it is manufactured. However, workers involved in the manufacture or use of trichloroethylene, particularly in the degreasing industry, are often exposed to much higher levels.
TCE is sold under various brand names and is mainly used in metal cleaning, vapour degreasing and paint stripping. It is also used as an extraction agent and as a chemical intermediate. Industries using trike include: car manufacturing, aerospace, production of PVC and textile treatments.
Despite the risks associated with exposure, unsafe practices in TCE usage continue.
What are the risks of trike?
Trichloroethylene is a central nervous system depressant. It is rapidly absorbed through ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact. Once absorbed it distributes throughout the via the circulatory system. Most is metabolised or exhaled. However, where exposure is continuous or excessive, levels can become high enough to cause damage.
Recognised symptoms associated with TCE exposure include:
- Dizziness and heightened emotions
- Headache followed by drowsiness
- Coughing or shortness of breath
- Burning of the mouth, throat and stomach
- Skin irritation, dermatitis and burns injuries
- Eye injuries, including burning and stinging
Trichloroethylene is also classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (iarc.who.int) as probably carcinogenic to humans. In addition, significant associations have been made to Parkinson's disease. Cases for both cancer and Parkinson's have been seen in claims.
Where the symptoms of trike exposure are immediate, a workplace should have first aid procedures in place to respond. The accident should also be recorded in the official work accident book. For persistent illnesses and long latency diseases, a solicitor can arrange a medical to confirm a diagnosis and to establish whether trike is a probable cause.
See also:
Dermatitis compensation claims
Burns injury compensation claims
Eye injury compensation claims
What are the recommended levels of TCE?
The EU Commissions workplace exposure limits (WELs), approved by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), set the concentration of hazardous substances in the air, averaged over time. Two time periods are used - 8 hours (long term) and 15 minutes (short term). For trichloroethylene exposure limits are:
- 8 hour period: 100 ppm (550 mg m-3)
- 15 min period: 150 ppm (820 mg m-3)
The short time periods are set to prevent effects such as eye irritation which can occur within a few minutes. The longer periods are set to prevent long-term, ongoing exposure that can lead to other illness.
What legislation protects workers?
A number of regulations apply where TCE exposure occurs in the workplace. This includes the Health and Safety of Work etc. Act 1974. As TCE has been assigned a WEL, it is also subject to the provisions of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH).
Under COSHH an employer is required to prevent or control exposure to trichloroethylene. Control is only deemed adequate if the principles of good control practice are applied, the WEL is not exceeded and exposure is reduced as low as is reasonably practical.
Common breaches of COSHH in relation to TCE
An employer who fails to identify the risks or implement appropriate control measures as set out in COSHH, would be deemed negligent and therefore liable. Examples of breaches include:
- A solution containing trichloroethylene used to degrease metal parts coming into contact with a workers skin due to insufficient protective clothing
- A worker is exposed to harmful fumes when metal components are dipped into uncovered trike-filled tanks due to lack of adequate breathing apparatus
- An employer did not adequately train an employee on the risks of TCE or on how to report faults in equipment
In order to prove a breach, evidence such as witness statements and company health and safety records should be sought. A solicitor can assist in this process. If an employer accepts liability, the agreed compensation amount should be paid through their employers liability insurance. This figure will be based on the extent of the injury or illness and proof of any additional expenses, such as loss of earnings.
What caused your TCE exposure injury?
The claims process will vary depending on how you were exposed. Click the icons below to learn more:
Can I make a no win, no fee trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.
Get expert advice now
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Trichloroethylene: health effects, incident management and toxicology - GOV.UK (reviewed: 28/07/2024)
Author:
Chris Salmon, Director
About the author
Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Injury Claims. Chris has played key roles in the shaping and scaling of a number of legal services brands and is a regular commentator in the legal press.