Pleural Plaque & Asbestos Claims

Asbestos exposure can cause a wide range of health problems, many of these eventually fatal. One common problem that occurs from exposure to asbestos is pleural plaques. These are smooth white areas of tissue that form on the pleura, the membrane covering the lungs. The pleural plaque is somewhat calcified. Varying in size, they are often detected by chest x-rays as a result of the calcification. Pleural plaque can occur from exposure to very low levels of asbestos and take several years to develop.

While the presence of pleural plaque definitively indicates that the person was exposed to asbestos at some time, typically these are not malignant or by themselves do they pose any health risk. However, many people who have pleural plaque present in their body are concerned that they may have more future health problems from their asbestos exposure.

Typically, these cases alone are not enough to successfully secure asbestos compensation for exposure. Since the presence of pleural plaques by itself is not life threatening nor does it require treatment. However, doctors do suggest once these have been discovered, to continue monitoring them with chest x-rays. Pleural plaques do not have the ability to change into cancer down the road.

Some argue that the presence of pleural plaque along with its quantity can be predictive of future health problems. In patients with a large amount of pleural plaque, there is a greater chance of developing mesothelioma, a form of cancer contracted from asbestos exposure. While the pleural plaque is not a cause, it is merely a warning sign. However, if a patient does not develop pleural plaque, this does not mean that they will not have future health problems.

People who have contracted pleural plaques like mesothelioma are legally entitled to pursue asbestos compensation. With cases such as these being of a highly sensitive nature, it is highly recommended that you choose a specialist solicitor, with plenty of past experience in dealing with mesothelioma compensation.