Industrial deafness claims
Occupational hearing loss claims - noisy workplaces
Exposure to excessive or sustained noise at work can
cause permanent hearing loss.
It does not matter whether you are young or old
because anyone can suffer hearing loss caused by noise
in the work place. The hearing loss may take many years
before you notice it, or can happen more quickly. It
will probably come on gradually, and people often first
notice it when friends or family comment that they have
the television on loud, or that they fail to hear what
they are saying.
As well as suffering hearing loss noise at work may
also cause tinnitus, that is a ringing or other sound in
their ears. This can be a very severe and aggravating
condition that affects people 24 hours a day.
People suffer hearing loss whilst doing many
different kinds of job, from working in a night club to
working on a farm.
In most jobs the risk of suffering hearing loss
depends on the noise levels in the work place and the
length of time that the noise continues. However, the
higher the noise levels the less time it takes to cause
hearing loss.
Doctors and medical specialists have known of the
health problem of occupational deafness for more than
150 years.
It is generally held by the courts that from 1963
onwards employers were under a legal duty to take active
steps to eliminate the risk of workers suffering hearing
loss and tinnitus caused by noise at work.
Make an enquiry with us today regarding industrial
deafness. We may be able to help you make a NO WIN NO FEE
compensation claim.
Read more about:
Are you
at risk of suffering hearing problems at work?
Read about military hearing loss or deafness claims
and exposure to noise whilst working for the MOD
You may also want to read our useful
case study about
a claimant who successfully pursued a claim for work
related hearing loss.
* Provisional figures of work-related fatal injuries
in Great Britain issued by the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) this week reveal that 228 workers lost
their lives as a result of accidents/incidents at work
in 2007/08. 4th July 2008 NEWS:
APIL support new Bill allowing workers to claim from
independent body where no other employers liability
insurance can be traced - 17th March 2009
Music teachers ordered to wear earmuffs
- 5th March 2009. Teachers in the UK have been warned to
wear earmuffs or stand behind noise screens to protect
their hearing. This is apparently because beginners tend
to thrash away and make far more noise than would
otherwise be the case. The
HSE
have set levels for maximum daily exposure to
sustained noise and the results may surprise people
(particularly music teachers!)
Discrimination against deaf person who needed an
assistance dog and was refused service in a restaurant
received £1200 for injury and hurt feelings. The client
in this case was refused food or service in a restaurant
because he was accompanied by a dog specially trained to
work with deaf people. The
Disability Rights Commission took the case forward
and won compensation for the injured party - 10th
January 2009
Statistics on work-related illness and workplace
injuries in Great Britain, for the period 2007/08 -
15th November 2008
Joys
Mining deafness compensation case discussed - 24th
October 2008
More links:
RNID -
Deafness
research - British Deaf
Association -
HSE on noise induced hearing loss NIHL -
ear
protection information (HSE pdf) -
Tinnitus
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If your employer has failed to take steps to
reduce excessive noise in your working environment or
provide protective equipment such as ear defenders etc - you may be entitled
to make a claim.
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