The UK Supreme Court has backed the right of people in Scotland to claim damages for the asbestos-related condition pleural plaques.
It dismissed a bid by insurance companies to scrap legislation allowing victims to claim compensation.
The ruling came after they lost an earlier bid to overturn the laws at the Court of Session.
Most Scots affected by pleural plaques previously worked in heavy industry, such as shipbuilding.
Pleural plaques are not themselves a disease and have no symptoms, but the thickening of lung membranes is an indicator of past exposure to asbestos.
Because of this, the House of Lords ruled five years ago that victims could not claim compensation.
However, the Scottish government disagreed and passed the Damages (Asbestos-related Conditions)(Scotland) Act in 2009.
Ministers argued pleural plaques could give rise to more serious conditions, like lung cancer, mesothelioma or asbestosis.
It allows claims to be made with the likely cost estimated at between £7m and £9m.
But insurance firms have vigorously attacked the legislation, alleging it infringes against human rights laws.
The industry argued that it breaks European Convention on Human Rights provisions on property rights and constitutes unreasonable legal interference.
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