No one expects to get sick from doing an honest day’s work. But for too many workers across Clare, Limerick and beyond, the job site wasn’t just tough it was unsafe. Years later, long after the dust settled or the chemicals cleared, the real cost begins to show. Breathing problems. Chronic pain. A diagnosis you never saw coming.
No one expects to get sick from doing an honest day’s work. But for too many workers across Clare, Limerick and beyond, the job site wasn’t just tough it was unsafe. Years later, long after the dust settled or the chemicals cleared, the real cost begins to show. Breathing problems. Chronic pain. A diagnosis you never saw coming.
At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we’ve seen what these illnesses can do to families. We’ve also seen how often they’re brushed aside or put down to age, lifestyle, or bad luck. But workplace-related illness is rarely just bad luck. If your job exposed you to something that made you ill, you deserve clear answers and fair treatment.
We don’t believe in scare tactics or over-promises. We take the time to understand what’s happened to you, explain what’s possible under the law, and help you decide what’s worth pursuing. Whether you worked in a factory, on a building site, in healthcare or transport, we’ll approach your case with care, respect and determination.
You’ve done your part. Now let us do ours. Contact Crimmins Howard today for a confidential, honest conversation about your options.
Industrial diseases are illnesses or chronic conditions that arise due to prolonged exposure to harmful substances, unsafe work environments, or repetitive physical stress in the course of one’s employment. Unlike sudden workplace accidents, industrial diseases often develop gradually sometimes over decades and are typically linked to long-term occupational hazards that were either overlooked or poorly managed by an employer.
In Irish law, these claims are treated as a form of personal injury, but establishing liability requires more than just proof of illness. To bring a successful industrial disease claim, it must be shown that your illness was caused or materially contributed to by your employment and that your employer failed in their duty of care under Irish health and safety legislation.
Important legal tests include:
You may be eligible to claim if:
Many individuals are unaware of their rights until years after symptoms emerge. That’s why seeking early legal advice is crucial. Even if the exposure took place decades ago or the employer no longer exists you may still have grounds to pursue compensation, provided you act within the legal time limits.
Industrial diseases span a broad range of conditions, many of which are linked to long-term exposure to hazardous environments in the workplace. At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we’ve represented individuals from shipyards, construction sites, factories, and healthcare settings—each facing different risks depending on their trade.
Below are some of the most frequently encountered conditions in Irish industrial disease claims:
If you are experiencing symptoms and believe they may be work-related, we encourage you to seek a medical assessment and speak to our industrial disease solicitors without delay.
Irish employers are under a strict legal obligation to protect their employees from preventable harm in the workplace. These duties are primarily set out under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, which outlines clear requirements to minimise the risk of occupational illness.
Employers must take reasonable steps to identify and eliminate hazards before they cause harm. This includes:
Failure to meet these obligations may amount to employer negligence, especially if employees later suffer industrial illnesses that could have been prevented through basic safety precautions. At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we thoroughly investigate employer practices to build a strong foundation for your claim.
Unlike accident claims, industrial disease cases often involve exposure that occurred years even decades before symptoms appeared. For that reason, the quality and structure of your evidence will make or break your case. At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we focus on compiling precise, credible, and legally admissible proof to connect your illness to your working conditions.
A formal diagnosis from a GP, consultant, or occupational health specialist is essential. The diagnosis must clearly outline the nature of your illness, along with an expert opinion on whether it is consistent with workplace exposure. We often instruct independent medical experts to assess your condition and prepare a medico-legal report detailing causation, prognosis, and likely link to employment.
A full employment record is critical. This includes:
Even if the employer no longer exists, we can trace records through social insurance contributions, trade union files, or occupational health archives.
Details about the physical environment where you worked presence of dust, noise levels, vibration tools, or chemicals can be established via:
To succeed, your solicitor must prove:
With our extensive experience in industrial claims, Crimmins Howard Solicitors will work closely with occupational physicians, engineers, and legal experts to assemble the strongest case possible.
If you’ve developed an illness due to unsafe working conditions, you may be entitled to claim compensation for a wide range of losses both physical and financial. At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we ensure no aspect of your suffering is overlooked when calculating the true value of your industrial disease claim.
This is compensation for the physical and emotional impact of your illness, including:
The amount awarded depends on the severity of your symptoms, their duration, and the long-term prognosis.
Tailored to your unique situation, these may include:
Many industrial illnesses lead to psychological distress or secondary complications such as:
Our team works with trusted medical professionals to ensure these hidden impacts are fully recognised and properly valued.
Every claim is assessed on its individual merits, and we’ll give you a clear breakdown of entitlements at the outset.
Yes – industrial disease claims often involve long latency periods. Irish law allows you to claim within two years of the “date of knowledge”, not the date of exposure. That means if you were diagnosed recently, your time limit may only be starting now, regardless of when the exposure occurred.
You may still have a valid claim. In many cases, employers’ liability insurance can be traced, even decades later. Our team has experience in identifying and pursuing claims against dissolved companies via their former insurers, or where necessary, through statutory redress schemes.
Not always. The majority of our industrial disease claims settle out of court through direct negotiation with the employer or their insurer. Court proceedings are only necessary where liability is denied or a fair settlement can’t be reached, and we’ll advise you of your options throughout.
Yes. If a loved one passed away from an industrial illness such as mesothelioma or silicosis, their next of kin or estate representative may be entitled to bring a fatal injury claim. This can include compensation for the loss, funeral expenses, and dependency.
Every case is different. Some settle within 6-12 months, particularly where liability is admitted early. Others may take longer, especially if complex medical evidence or employer tracing is required. We’ll give you a tailored timeline from the outset and keep you informed every step of the way.
If you’ve been diagnosed with a work-related illness, don’t wait. Contact Crimmins Howard Solicitors for clear, expert advice on your entitlement to compensation. We’ll assess your case with care and urgency. Call us today, request a free callback, or use our simple online enquiry form to begin your claim.
