Hearing loss, industrial deafness & tinnitus compensation claims

What is hearing loss?

Hearing loss is experienced when you have a reduced ability to hear sounds, meaning your ability to hear is worse than other people's. It tends to become a more common issue in older people; however, environmental and genetic factors can also cause these changes. 

There are ways to help you communicate with others if you have hearing loss. This includes learning to lipread and moving to a space with less background noise.

People who are considered 'deaf' have profound hearing loss, where they have little to no hearing. Causes might include hereditary factors, viral infections, trauma to the ear and more. It's common for deaf people to use sign language to communicate.

Sometimes, hearing loss can be treated; otherwise, it can result in life-altering consequences.

Question?

Tinnitus is when a person hears noises that don't come from an outside source. Again, the severity ranges. Some people experience symptoms temporarily, while others experience them for the rest of their life. Symptoms can be experienced in one or both ears. These might include:

• Ringing
• Buzzing
• Whooshing
• Throbbing
• Humming

Sometimes, people experience tinnitus after a car accident and are eligible for compensation. That's where hearing claim solicitors can help, as tinnitus is still considered a type of hearing loss.

What is industrial deafness?

Industrial deafness refers to damage to the inner ear from noise or vibrations in the workplace. This may come from equipment noise going beyond the safe decibel level. Working in these surroundings for a prolonged period without proper protection can result in long-term or permanent hearing loss. This tends to happen gradually, so you might not notice it at first. Alternatively, hearing loss can be caused by acoustic shock, where a sudden loud noise exceeds the safe decibel level.

Industrial deafness is sometimes also known as 'occupational deafness' or 'noise-induced hearing loss' (NIHL).

If you have suffered from occupational hearing loss, you may be eligible for workplace hearing loss compensation. Call us on or fill out our callback form to arrange a time to speak at your convenience.

What are the symptoms of industrial deafness?

If you're experiencing the symptoms below, you may be suffering from industrial deafness and could make a hearing loss claim:

• Missing parts of conversations
• Asking people to repeat themselves
• Having to turn the television up louder to hear it
• Lack of hearing in one or both ears
• Temporary or permanent hearing loss
• Ringing, buzzing or hissing noises (this can be a sign of tinnitus)
• Struggling to hear people if there is background noise

On top of experiencing difficulties in your everyday life, you may even have had to find a new career if your hearing loss is disrupting your ability to perform well at work.

We don't think that's fair, so we're here to help you make it right by helping you start a NIHL claim for hearing loss compensation. We work with a panel of solicitors who are experts in their field, including specialists in noise-induced hearing loss claims and tinnitus claims.

Can I claim for loss of hearing?

If you've experienced hearing loss following exposure to high levels of noise in the workplace, you may be able to make a hearing loss claim.

When you speak to us about your case, we'll talk through your symptoms to understand more about what you've been experiencing and what may have led to your hearing loss. If you've spoken to a medical professional about your hearing, we'll also talk through the details of that consultation.

We realise it can be difficult to tell whether you could make a hearing loss claim, but that's where we can help you. Our friendly, personal injury advisors are on hand seven days a week on to offer free, impartial advice and help you understand whether you may have a case. 

We understand that your hearing loss may make you feel wary of picking up the phone to talk to us, but please don't worry. We speak to lots of people about occupational hearing loss claims, and all of our calls are handled at your pace and we'll never rush you.

If you're still unsure about picking up the phone to talk to us, our advisors are available on our live chat. Alternatively, you could ask a friend or family member to call us on your behalf to talk through your case.

Question?

The Health and Safety Executive estimates that 11,000 workers in Great Britain suffered work-related hearing problems between 2019 and 2022. Meanwhile, the national charity the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) says that exposure to loud noise is the second-biggest cause of hearing loss. As a result, compensation for hearing loss is awarded in the UK more regularly than you might expect.

While noise-induced hearing loss unfortunately can't be cured, many people who have suffered from it find wearing a hearing aid helpful. RNID offers support and useful advice for those who are living with hearing loss, including advice on hearing therapy and lipreading classes.

Remember that, if you've suffered hearing loss, we're here to help and advise you on noise -induced hearing loss claims. Our friendly team of personal injury advisors is available on .

How can hearing loss compensation help?

Although making a hearing loss compensation claim may feel like a daunting process, we have the experience to make it as simple and stress-free as possible. Compensation can help you get the apology you deserve and can cover any costs.

Our solicitors are specialists in industrial hearing claims and will take all of the impacts of your hearing loss into consideration when making your claim. For example, if you've needed to take time off work or find a new job, then your compensation can cover the expenses that may have caused.

Hearing loss can be very frustrating - it can make social situations difficult and can leave you feeling depressed. Your solicitor will make sure they understand exactly how your injury has affected you so that you receive the full amount of compensation.

How much noise is too much noise?

Noise levels are measured in decibels (dB). According to the RNID, 85dB is the threshold level at which your hearing can become damaged over time. Generally, sounds under 85dB are safe to listen to and don't require hearing protection.

However, if you work in a noisy workplace and sound levels reach 80dB, your employer should assess the risk to your hearing.

There are laws in place to make sure that at-risk workers are protected in workplaces with high noise levels. Employers should take steps to meet the terms of The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. These include:

• Assessing the risks to staff from noise at work
• Taking action to reduce the noise exposure
• Providing staff with hearing protection if the noise exposure can't be reduced enough
• Making sure legal limits on noise exposure aren't exceeded.

The levels of noise exposure that should not be exceeded (the exposure limit value) are daily or weekly exposure of 87 dB and peak sound pressure of 140 dB. Employer negligence and a failure to meet duty of care could mean you are eligible to make an occupational hearing loss claim. Call us today on [medtel] to see whether you could have a valid claim.

How much compensation do you get for hearing loss?

There is no simple answer to this. The amount of noise-induced hearing loss compensation received will vary from case to case. This is because every claim is unique and has its own specific set of circumstances.

We understand that it might be helpful to know about the amount of compensation that may be paid before your claim gets underway. This is why we created our hearing loss compensation calculator. We recommend that it's best to speak to your solicitor about what the settlement in your case could be when your hearing loss or tinnitus claim is under way. At this point, they will be fully up to speed with the facts of your case and will have a better idea of the amount of hearing loss compensation you could receive.

Any compensation for hearing damage claims will be split into two categories. These are known as special damages and general damages.

Special damages

Special damages refer to the ascertainable losses you could be covered for, including medical expenses and lost wages as a result of your hearing loss.

General damages

General damages cover intangible losses like pain or any mental suffering.

These are determined by the Judicial College guidelines. They give guideline figures for industrial deafness compensation claims in the UK. The Judicial College is part of the Ministry of Justice and sets the ranges of compensation for all types of accident injuries, including NIHL compensation claims.

Is there a hearing loss claim time limit?

With all personal injury claims, including hearing loss claims, there are time limits which apply. We can explain this to you in more detail, but our advice would always be to speak to us as soon as possible on . That way, we can run through the specifics of your case to understand the timescales involved and to advise you on what the next steps could be towards making a claim.