Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits

bricklayer1

After a recent visit to the doctor due to a bad chest infection.....well thats what I thought it was. They tell me Ive got C.O.P.D probably due to smoking.
Thing is I worked in the textile industry for a while and the cotton fibers can cause lung conditions.
Is the above benefit hard to get for such conditions?
Im on my 3rd lot of diffrent antibiotics and steroids at the moment along with a prescribed inhaler and the infection is still there.

Thanks,,,

rogerblack

Have you ever smoked?
What sort of cotton industry - many aspects will not significantly be exposed to cotton fibres loose.

bricklayer1

yes I smoked, and the machine that was used had a compressed airline attached to blow the cotton clear when things got clogged up, thus producing cotton fibres airbourne.
The machine also had a home made air line to blow away the smell of the noxtious hot machine oil but didnt work very well and also made me choke.

rogerblack

It's going to be harder to prove your case due to having smoked - especially if it was heavily.
Are you aware of any statistics on people in similar jobs to you having an increases incidence of COPD?

However, you can apply.
If you don't, then you have precisely zero chance of being granted it.

bricklayer1

thanks,
I dont know any stastistics but I will get the forms and see my GP and let her know about these working conditions and take it from there.