Military Hearing Loss Claims

Noise-induced hearing loss is hearing damage through exposure to excessive volume. This could be sudden due to a single exposure to an incredibly loud sound or slowly caused by regular exposure to volumes that exceed safe limits.

There’s a range of symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss and you may experience one or more of the following:

• Total deafness
• A general muffling of sound
• Loss of a certain range of frequencies, particularly high pitches.

As well as impairing your hearing and making it difficult to communicate with others, hearing loss has been shown to have an impact on the mental health of those who experience it. Tinnitus can also cause problems sleeping, with ringing in the ears particularly noticeable in quiet environments.

If you have experienced these symptoms after an exposure to high volumes as part of your work in the armed forces, and you weren't given adequate hearing protection, then you may be able to claim compensation.

If you’re unsure whether you can make a claim or not, contact us for a free initial consultation.

Employers have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to protect their employees' hearing while at work. The MoD is no different.

As a member of the armed forces, you often have no choice over your working environment, and avoiding loud noises isn’t always possible. This makes it even more vital for appropriate hearing protection to be provided to service personnel when needed.

The steps that should be taken to protect your hearing include:

• Assessing the sources of noise and the risks they cause
• Reducing volume levels as much as possible through noise control, such as sound absorption materials
• Ensuring volumes don't regularly exceed 87dB, or go beyond peak levels of 140dB
• Providing adequate hearing protection if requested, or if noise levels are above exposure limits
• Identifying and signposting areas where hearing protection is needed
• Making sure hearing protection is properly maintained.

If you feel that you haven't been given adequate hearing protection in noisy environments, and that this has resulted in hearing loss or tinnitus, then you may be able to claim compensation. If you have any concerns or questions, get in touch for a free initial consultation about your case.

Yes, you can make a military tinnitus claim if you have developed tinnitus through the MoD’s negligence.

Tinnitus is a condition that causes a ringing, hissing, or buzzing noise in the ear, often after being exposed to loud noises. It can result in loss of sleep, stress, and depression.

Tinnitus is a form of hearing damage, and if yours was caused by not being given sufficient ear protection in the armed forces, you may be able to make a claim. Contact us to discuss what happened to you.

There’s no set timeframe for how long a claim against the MoD for hearing loss will take.

In cases where the MoD accepts responsibility and agrees with how much we are claiming for in compensation, the claim can be settled quite swiftly.

However, if it disputes responsibility or the compensation amount, this can lengthen the process as we will need to prove your hearing damage was the fault of the MoD. This may include starting court proceedings, which is why your claim will take longer to settle than if responsibility was accepted.

Rest assured, no matter how long your hearing loss claim takes to settle, we won’t rest until we have secured you every penny you are entitled to in compensation. We will be with you every step of the way, acting on your instructions and making sure you’re fully informed at each stage.

If you have worked on the Ajax programme and developed hearing loss symptoms or ringing in your ears, our military injury claims solicitors may be able to help you claim compensation.

Testing new military equipment naturally comes with certain risks, but, as with any employer, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has a duty to protect you from those risks and take all reasonable steps to prevent injury.

Noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus are permanent conditions that could seriously affect the rest of your life, including ending your service career. If you have been affected, you may be entitled to compensation to help you manage the impact of your injury on both your career and personal life.

We’re already representing a number of personnel, including engineers and vehicle commanders, who have suffered hearing loss and tinnitus while testing Ajax vehicles. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.