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Making a Claim for Industrial Deafness

The following is intended as a brief guide to making a claim for Industrial Deafness.

What is Industrial Deafness

Industrial Deafness is the deterioration of a person’s hearing over a prolonged period of time as a result of their working environment. Excessive noise can lead to tinnitus. Tinnitus is the name given to the condition of noises 'in the ears' and/or 'in the head' with no external source. Tinnitus noises are usually ringing, whistling, buzzing and humming. Another form of Industrial Deafness is Acoustic Trauma. This is physical damage to the ear caused by intense noise.

Symptoms of Industrial Deafness

There are several symptoms of Industrial Deafness. If you experience the following symptoms you may be suffering from Industrial Deafness.

• Tinnitus, a ringing, buzzing or humming in the ears
• Temporary loss of hearing.
• Muffled hearing or difficulty hearing high pitched noise
• Permanent Deafness

How to prove Industrial Deafness?

The Industrial Deafness, Noise at Work Act 1989 introduces rules relating to health and safety in the workplace which must be adhered to. It has been confirmed that noise in the workplace can cause hearing loss or tinnitus. Employers therefore have legal duties to monitor the level of noise within the workplace and to protect employees from excessive exposure by providing sufficient training and ear defenders. If employers breach that duty and cause you to develop a hearing loss condition then you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation.
If you have worked in a noisy environment and have not been offered ear protection, or feel you have received insufficient training in using your ear protection and now have trouble hearing others speak, or suffer from noises and or ringing in the ears you may have reason for a compensation claim.

How to make a claim

The first step would be to contact a member of our team for a free, no obligations chat. They will take some information from you in order to establish whether you are eligible to make a claim for Industrial Deafness.

In order to make a claim for Industrial Deafness/ Tinnitus you have three years from the date of knowledge or the date you ought to have known about the condition. Therefore if you are suffering from Industrial Deafness/ Tinnitus it is vital that you seek legal advice as soon as possible.

How much will it cost me to make a claim?

It will not cost you a penny. We fund our cases by ‘no win, no fee’ agreements entitling you to 100% compensation. If your case is successful we receive payment of our fees at the end of the claim, directly from the Defendant’s Insurer. We also receive a success fee; this is percentage uplift on your basic costs, and also paid by the Defendant’s insurer. If your claim is not successful we waive any fees we have incurred on your behalf. We will also ensure that insurance is in place to cover any disbursements which we incur in the process of your claim.

How much compensation are you entitled to?

There are two limbs to an award for compensation, General Damages and Special Damages.

General Damages are damages for the pain and suffering endured by the individual and the disability caused to the individual. This would vary depending on the extent of the disability and whether the disability is permanent.

For industrial deafness and hearing loss injuries there are several categories of General Damages.

Hearing Loss Injuries:

• Slight hearing loss to occasional Tinnitus, £4,300 to £7,375
• Mild Tinnitus with some hearing loss, £7,357 to £8,650
• Moderate hearing loss and Tinnitus, £8,650-£17,300
• Severe hearing loss and Tinnitus, £17,300- £26,500

Deafness Injury:

• Total loss of hearing in one ear, £18,325- £2,500
• Total deafness where there is no speech impediment or Tinnitus, £52,950
• Deafness, which causes speech impediment and/ or Tinnitus, £63,625
• Total deafness and loss of speech caused at an early age, £63, 625 to £81,500

Special damages include financial losses, Costs of care, transportation, housing modifications and services and any other losses related to the claim.
Making a claim may seem like a daunting task but our expert claim handlers will make your claim as straightforward as possible and support you throughout your claim. We have a national team of claims consultants who will be happy to see you in your home, at work or even in hospital in order to explain matters further and complete the paperwork for you.
Find out now if you have a claim- simply call our freephone 24/7 helpline number 0800 731 2586 or complete the online enquiry form for totally confidential, free, no obligation expert advice.
We offer a ‘no win no fee service’ and you will receive 100% of your compensation.

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