QUICK ANSWER
Pleural plaques — calcified scars on the lining of the lungs caused by asbestos exposure — are compensable in Scotland under the Damages (Asbestos-related Conditions) (Scotland) Act 2009, unlike in England and Wales. Scottish courts award £5,500 to £9,000 in provisional damages, and full and final settlements can exceed £15,000. The time limit is 3 years from diagnosis under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973. Scottish Claims Helpline works on a no win no fee basis — complete the short form for a free, no obligation assessment.
Diagnosed With Pleural Plaques? Scotland Gives You the Right to Claim.
Pleural plaques are discrete, calcified deposits on the pleural lining of the lungs caused by past asbestos exposure. They are typically asymptomatic — they do not themselves cause breathlessness or functional impairment — but they are important as evidence of significant asbestos exposure and as markers of increased future risk of developing more serious conditions including mesothelioma and asbestosis.
In England and Wales, the House of Lords ruled in Rothwell v Chemical & Insulating Co Ltd [2007] that pleural plaques alone are not actionable damage. The Scottish Parliament responded by enacting the Damages (Asbestos-related Conditions) (Scotland) Act 2009, which provides that pleural plaques constitute actionable harm in Scotland. The insurance industry challenged the Act all the way to the UK Supreme Court — and lost, in AXA General Insurance v Lord Advocate [2011] UKSC 46. This means Scottish workers retain a right to claim compensation that their English counterparts do not have.
Scottish Claims Helpline handles pleural plaques claims across Scotland on a no win no fee basis. There is no financial risk to you.
How Much Could You Receive?
The amount depends on one key choice: a provisional award now with the right to claim again, or a larger full and final settlement:
| Settlement Type | Typical Award |
|---|
| Provisional damages — right to claim again preserved | £5,500 - £9,000 |
| Full and final settlement — includes future risk | £10,000 - £15,000+ |
Based on Court of Session awards in Wales v Advocate General [2015] CSOH 111 and Harris v Advocate General [2016] CSOH 49. Pleural plaques have no Judicial College Guidelines bracket because they are only actionable in Scotland.
That’s not all. If you choose provisional damages, you keep the right to return for further compensation — potentially a six-figure award — if you ever develop mesothelioma, asbestosis or asbestos-related lung cancer. Anxiety about your diagnosis is factored into the award, and lost earnings and expenses can be added on top.
Provisional or Full and Final — Which Should You Choose?
Every pleural plaques claim in Scotland involves one key decision. Provisional damages give you a payment now while preserving your right to return to court for a much larger award if you ever develop a more serious asbestos-related condition — in Wales v Advocate General, the Court of Session awarded £8,500 on this basis. A full and final settlement is a single larger payment that includes a percentage for future risk — almost £15,500 in Harris v Advocate General — but it ends your claim permanently, even if mesothelioma develops later.
Most people diagnosed with pleural plaques choose provisional damages, because the protection they preserve is worth far more than the difference in the initial payment. Scottish Claims Helpline explains both options clearly so you can make the right choice for your circumstances.
Who Can Claim?
Any person diagnosed with pleural plaques as a result of occupational asbestos exposure in Scotland can claim. This includes former shipyard workers, construction workers, plumbers, electricians, boilermakers, joiners, laggers, school teachers and caretakers who worked in asbestos-containing buildings. Claims can be brought against former employers who have ceased trading, through their employers’ liability insurers.
Pleural Plaques Claims — Frequently Asked Questions
Scottish courts award £5,500 to £9,000 in provisional damages for pleural plaques, following the bracket set by the Court of Session in Wales v Advocate General. Full and final settlements are higher - the Court of Session awarded almost £15,500 in Harris v Advocate General [2016] - because they include compensation for the future risk of developing a more serious asbestos condition. Lost earnings and expenses can be added on top.
Provisional damages give you a payment now while preserving your right to return for further compensation if you later develop a more serious asbestos-related condition such as mesothelioma, asbestosis or asbestos-related lung cancer. A full and final settlement is a single larger payment that ends the claim permanently. Most people diagnosed with pleural plaques choose provisional damages to keep their future rights protected.
Yes. Unlike in England and Wales, pleural plaques are compensable in Scotland under the Damages (Asbestos-related Conditions) (Scotland) Act 2009. The Scottish Parliament legislated specifically to restore this right after it was removed by the House of Lords in Rothwell v Chemical & Insulating Co Ltd [2007], and the UK Supreme Court upheld the Act in AXA General Insurance v Lord Advocate [2011].
Pleural plaques are discrete, calcified deposits on the pleural lining of the lungs caused by past asbestos exposure. They are typically asymptomatic but are important as evidence of significant asbestos exposure and as markers of increased risk of developing more serious conditions including mesothelioma and asbestosis.
No. Pleural plaques are benign and do not themselves turn into mesothelioma or lung cancer. However, they confirm significant past asbestos exposure, which carries its own independent risk of more serious disease. This is why most claimants choose provisional damages, which preserve the right to claim again if a more serious condition develops.
3 years from the date of diagnosis under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973. If you have recently been diagnosed, you are likely still within time even if the asbestos exposure was decades ago. Contact us as soon as possible after diagnosis.
Yes. Employers’ liability insurance policies can be traced through the ELTO database and claimed against even if the employer ceased trading decades ago. Our solicitors are experienced in tracing historic insurers for defunct Scottish employers.
You need a diagnosis, usually from a chest X-ray or CT scan, and a work history showing where you were exposed to asbestos. Medical evidence and employment records, including HMRC work history checks, are arranged for you. You only need to complete the short form to get started.
How Do I Start My Claim?
It takes 2 minutes. Fill in our short form and one of our specialist Scottish solicitors will call you back at a time that suits. They will listen to what happened, tell you straight away if you have a claim, and explain exactly how much you could receive — all completely free and with no obligation. If you decide to go ahead, everything is handled for you on a no win no fee basis from start to finish. You pay nothing unless you win.
About this page: Written by
David Gildea, Scottish Claims Helpline. Reviewed by a qualified Scottish solicitor specialising in asbestos disease litigation. Last reviewed July 2026. Scottish Claims Helpline is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (
FRN 830381).