Industrial Deafness Claims
Around 200,000 people in the UK suffer from hearing problems arising from noisy industrial environments. A further 1.1million people are at risk of developing hearing problems in the future. Also know as noise-induced hearing loss, conditions such as tinnitus and industrial deafness are the most common forms of hearing problem found in workers who are employed in noisy workplaces.
People who have been exposed to prolonged periods of noise in a work environment may suffer from a range of symptoms, from minor hearing loss in one ear to complete and permanent hearing loss in both ears.
If you have worked in a noisy workplace and are now experiencing hearing problems, you may be able to make an industrial deafness claim against your former or current employer. Irwin Mitchell has a specialist team of industrial deafness claims solicitors who will assess and investigate a case on your behalf.
Generally, there are four main types of industrial deafness for which claims are made:
- Temporary loss of hearing
- Permanent loss of hearing
- Tinnitus
- Acoustic trauma
What is Temporary Hearing Loss?
Often referred to as a temporary threshold shift, you are most likely to experience a temporary reduction in your hearing capabilities after several hours’ exposure to sounds and noises above 75dB. Generally the extent of the temporary hearing loss occurs during the first few hours and does not progress.
The characteristics of temporary hearing loss include:
- Dull or muffled sounds
- Generally around 14-15 hours impaired hearing. Sufferers should retreat to a quiet environment until their ailments subside.
Hearing should return to normal after a prolonged period in a quiet environment. However, continued exposure to noise and regular periods of temporary hearing loss can often develop into more serious, permanent hearing loss.
What is Permanent Hearing Loss?
Permanent hearing loss, as you would imagine, is irreversible damage to your hearing and is usually characterised by a gradual, but permanent threshold shift. People will usually lose most of their hearing within the first 10 years of exposure to noises in a particular environment. If you would like to make a claim against your former employer, contact Irwin Mitchell’s experienced industrial deafness claims solicitors for more information.
Permanent hearing loss often has the following characteristics:
- Hair cells within the inner ear deteriorate and are not replenished
- This leads to a reduction in the ear’s ability to detect some frequencies as clearly
- Difficulty in hearing human voices is usually the first sign that permanent hearing loss is occurring
- By this time, irreversible damage to a person’s hearing may have occurred
Acoustic trauma
People can experience acoustic trauma after being exposed to a single or series of very loud noises, for example, an explosion or gunfire at close range. A lack of ear protection can also contribute to the severity of the acoustic trauma.
People who suffer acoustic trauma will find their hearing is affected and may also experience irreversible physical damage to structures in the ear (for example, a perforated eardrum).
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a common hearing problem characterised by ringing, buzzing, hissing, whistling or roaring sounds in one or both ears. Generally, tinnitus lasts for a short period of time, but prolonged periods are not uncommon. Our experienced team of industrial deafness claims solicitors will be able to advise you further if you believe your tinnitus condition was brought about by exposure to loud noises at work.
Industrial deafness compensation claims
If you are suffering from noise-related hearing problems that you feel were sustained as a result of your work environment, Irwin Mitchell’s industrial deafness claims solicitors can work with you to secure a fair and appropriate compensation package.
To contact us, simply fill in the industrial deafness claim form and our team will get back to you to discuss your case further.