Asbestos Claims: Navigating the Litigation Lifecycle

Introduction

This short webinar provides a concise guide to the lifecycle of an asbestos claim - from initial investigation and the Pre-Action Protocol through the Letter of Claim, proceedings, case management, evidence and settlement.

With a particular focus on mesothelioma claims, the webinar explores the importance of urgency where a claimant’s life expectancy may be limited and how the procedural framework accommodates this.

This webinar also considers the specialist approach to asbestos and mesothelioma claims under the CPR and current King’s Bench Division Guide, alongside recent case law developments, including Johnstone v Fawcett’s Garage (Newbury) Ltd [2025] and Howell v Pile Construction (Southern) Ltd [2026].

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• Navigating the pre-action process - understanding the relevant Pre-Action Protocol requirements and how to progress a claim efficiently
• Preparing an effective Letter of Claim - identifying the key information and evidence needed to set out a client's case clearly
• Investigating historic asbestos exposure - practical techniques for establishing employment exposure history particularly where events took place many decades ago
• Identifying the right defendants and insurers - dealing with historic employers, successor companies, dissolved companies and tracing relevant insurance cover
• Dealing with limitation - recognising potential limitation issues early and understanding the steps required to protect the claimant’s position
• Building the evidence - understanding what evidence is likely to be important on exposure, breach and foreseeability
• Managing mesothelioma claims urgently - understanding the specialist procedures designed to expedite asbestos and mesothelioma claims including where a client is very poorly
• Issuing proceedings effectively - issuing a claim and preparing the case for case management
• Understanding the ‘Show Cause’ procedure - considering how the expedited procedure operates and how litigators should prepare their case for an early determination
• Keeping up to date with recent case law - recent authorities and what they mean in practice for proving a claim
• Avoiding common pitfalls - identifying mistakes that can cause unnecessary delay / increase costs