Our hearing is usually something we take for granted. We don’t realise how important and valuable it is until it’s taken away. While there are a number of things that can lead to partial or complete hearing loss, one is noise induced hearing loss in the workplace environment. Unfortunately this is something that happens in a number of industries such as car assembly plants, repair shops, ship-building plants, and steel-making facilities. Typically, this hearing loss is gradual and happens over time, which means you may not even recognise it is happening until it’s too late.
So what happens if you’ve been diagnosed with noise induced hearing loss? How can you begin to cope? Let’s take a closer look.
Understand you aren’t alone
The first thing you need to tell yourself is that you aren’t alone. According to the Health and Safety Executive, noise induced hearing loss in Great Britain totals about 20,000 workers. These are workers whose hearing has been affected as a direct result of their work. Statistics also show that it is much more likely for men to suffer from work-related hearing loss over women.
What is more alarming though is the prediction set forth by the Commission on Hearing Loss which states that by 2031 it expects that 20% of the UK population will be affected by hearing loss, which includes workplace related hearing loss.
Visit your doctor
In order to take any steps forward, you will first need to visit your doctor so you can get an official diagnosis. Your doctor will most likely send you to a specialist to determine how severe your hearing loss is. Typically it is classified as mild, moderate, severe, or profound. Treatment will depend on the severity of your hearing loss, the source of it, the type, and how fast you seek medical help.
Know the laws
There are very strict laws in place right now that regulate the acceptable noise levels in the workplace. If you think your employer is not following the laws you need to speak with them, and a risk assessment should be done.
Contact a lawyer
The next step in the process should be to set up a consultation with a personal injury lawyer who is familiar with work-related noise-induced hearing loss, such as Roper James Solicitors. Roper James Solicitors in Plymouth has direct experience in filing these types of claims and is just one of many law firms in Plymouth who can help you to figure out the best way forward.
A personal injury solicitor can help you by looking at your case and determining if the employer would be liable for industrial deafness. If the company is found at fault, then you will be granted compensation that will cover your medical expenses, as well as other expenses related to your injury. According to Roper James’ Plymouth lawyers, these types of claims typically take anywhere from 12-18 months to settle.
Doing what you can to cope and move forward
These steps are meant to act as the basic framework that makes it possible for you to cope and then move forward after suffering from noise-induced hearing loss.
