Irwin Mitchell asbestos lawyer receives APIL accreditation

An expert asbestos lawyer from Irwin Mitchell has received official accreditation from the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) after being recognised for his dedication to supporting people who have been diagnosed with industrial diseases.

Ian Toft, a partner and head of industrial illness team at Irwin Mitchell in Leeds, has been recognised for his expertise in acting for clients with asbestos-related diseases in both Yorkshire and around the country.

APIL accreditation provides a quality mark of excellence for solicitors and barristers dealing with personal injury claims, which helps those looking for legal help to recognise expertise within the legal profession.

Toft has specialised in representing people affected by asbestos-related diseases, and their families, for more than a decade and is an accredited occupational and asbestos disease specialist.

This year, he secured an agreement for one of his clients who had been diagnosed with the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma.

The agreement included treatments that may not currently exist, or be available yet, offering peace of mind and flexibility to the Halifax-based man. As part of this deal, the insurers of the man’s former employers have the right to challenge the cost of any such treatments at court.

Toft said of his accreditation: “I am extremely proud to have become an accredited occupational and asbestos disease specialist by APIL, one of only three APIL accredited lawyers in Leeds.”

“At Irwin Mitchell we aim to provide an unrivalled level of support to those who have suffered from an industrial illness, obtaining access for clients to the best possible treatment and care services to provide the best quality of life.”

“We will continue to offer help and guidance from our experience in this field to those who are also hoping to become accredited by the claimant lawyers’ leading association.”

The Irwin Mitchell team in Yorkshire, under Toft’s leadership, has recovered £330,000 in hospice costs from insurers for its clients. In February this year, they also recovered £20,000 for Overgate Hospice in West Yorkshire. The team had acted for the family of Douglas Zipfel, a father-of-five from Bradford, who passed away from mesothelioma just four months after being diagnosed with the asbestos-related illness.

Commenting on the team’s record of recovering hospice costs, Toft said: “Hospices play a hugely important role in many communities and we are delighted that we have been able to give back to the vital organisations that care for those who are most in need of it.”

“It is an unfortunate truth that many people do not understand the specifics related to the funding of such services, with many hospices being heavily reliant on donations and fundraising efforts by local groups.”

“However, by looking to reclaim the cost of care in a legal claim, families are able to give back and say thank you to an organisation which has provided fundamental support to their loved ones at an incredibly difficult time.”