DNA Evidence Could Help to Resolve Industrial Illness Claims

Researchers in the USA have developed a technique that could provide important evidence in workers' illness claims in the future. The Courts in California have heard 20 cases in which DNA evidence was used to establish whether or not exposure to toxic chemicals at work was the cause of the claimants' conditions.

The new technique, called "msds1" can determine how human cells and their individual DNA respond when exposed to chemicals. It was developed at the University of Illinois and has been recently been endorsed by the US equivalent of our Law Society - the American Bar Association.

There are thousands of industrial injury claims in the UK each year and many of these relate to incurable diseases such as mesothelioma caused by working in an environment with harmful substances.

Nigel Barrowcliff, of personal injury specialists ClaimsSolicitors, which successfully handles many claims for injury compensation each year, said of the use of the new DNA evidence:

"Any innovation that can help claimants establish the cause of their illness is of course most welcome." However, whilst I would expect such evidence to be admissible in our courts there are concerns over the costs involved which could be a problem. Whilst expert evidence is often important it does not determine the outcome of a case on its own."

Issued by:	Deborah Stevenson
Tel:	0161 355 5500
Email:	deborahs@dcsolicitors.com
Notes:	claimssolicitors.co.uk is the online presence of Davies and Company. Davies and Company is specialist firm of personal injury solicitors. The firm is a corporate member of APIL (Association of Personal Injury Solicitors), a member of Law Society Personal Injury Pane , MASS (Motor Accident Solicitors Society), and PEOPIL (Pan-European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers), and has two solicitors on the Solicitors Regulation Authority Personal Injury Panel.

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