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. 

Loud machinery on farms can cause this problem too so if you have been injured whilst working on a farm you could be entitled to compensation. Speak to our specialist farming accident solicitors today to discuss your case. You can make farm machinery injury claims if you have been injured by any of the machinery found on a farm. If you are not a British national and have been injured whilst working on a farm in the UK we can assist you too with foreign farm worker claims.

Please note: that we have had a number of enquiries from claimants stating that doctors are failing to properly diagnose conditions relating to industrial hearing loss. If you or your family have encountered this you may be able to claim for medical negligence compensation. Please speak to us if you need an unbiased legal opinion.

Make an enquiry with us today regarding industrial deafness. We may be able to help you make a no win, no fee compensation claim.

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.

Military Hearing Loss

Read about military hearing loss or deafness claims and exposure to noise whilst working for the MOD

Related health & safety pages:

• Employers Liability insurance explained
• The law relating to noise at work
• Are you at risk of suffering hearing problems at work?

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) reveal that 228 workers lost their lives as a result of accidents/incidents at work in 2007/08 - 4th July 2008

More links:

RNID - Deafness research - British Deaf Association - HSE on noise induced hearing loss NIHL - ear protection information (HSE pdf) - Tinnitus