THE High Court will this morning rule on future compensation claims from hundreds of sufferers of an asbestos-related condition in the region.

The appeal judgement will finally resolve a legal battle by former workers from shipyards and the construction industry suffering from a condition known as pleural plaques.

The thick discs of scar tissue on the lungs results from contact with asbestos and, although benign, often develops into the terminal cancer mesothelioma.

Until recently, people diagnosed with pleural plaques had automatically been entitled to claim compensation, but a High Court judgement last year suddenly saw payouts reduced.

The move prompted several victims to take the matter to appeal, which in turn led to a cross-appeal from insurance companies urging that compensation should only be payable when an additional medical complication arose.

Solicitors Irwin Mitchell took up the battle for sufferers and pressed for compensation for all those suffering from pleural plaques.

Roger Maddocks, a partner at the law firm's Newcastle office and a legal expert on industrial diseases, said: "Pleural plaques are a marker of unprotected exposure to asbestos.

"This exposure is almost always a direct result of negligence on the part of sufferers' employers.

"The availability of compensation in respect of this condition is a basic human right."

Mr Maddocks added: "People diagnosed with pleural plaques have to live with the fear produced by the knowledge they could develop terminal ccancer such as mesothelioma."

But Insurance companies such as Norwich Union argued in the High Court that, while it was accepted that the presence of pleural plaques was an indicator of exposure to asbestos to some degree, it did not mean sufferers would necessarily go on to develop asbestos disease in the future.

The insurers said the High Court cross-appeal was simply to seek clarification over whether compensation should be paid if there were no additional medical problems.

Mr Maddocks said last night: "We are hopeful that the court of appeal will uphold the right of claimants suffering from pleural plaques to pursue compensation claims as they have been able to do for many years."