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Personal Injury Compensation Claims relating to Occupational Deafness
What is Industrial Deafness?
Information about Occupational Deafness
Who is responsible for your Occupational Deafness?
Employer to blame for Industrial Deafness
Making a Personal Injury Compensation Claim for Industrial Deafness
Advice about Compensation Claims for Occupational Deafness
News Stories about Industrial Deafness
News we have published about Occupational Deafness
Real Life Stories about Industrial Deafness
Clients we have helped with claims for Occupational Deafness
Client Testimonials in Occupational Deafness claims
Testimonials from clients who have received Industrial Deafness compensation
Organisations which may be able to help if you have developed Occupational Deafness
Links to assist sufferers of Industrial Deafness
What is Industrial Deafness?
Information about Occupational Deafness
Occupational Deafness, Industrial Deafness or Noise Induced Hearing Loss as it is sometimes referred to, is a deterioration of a person’s hearing over a prolonged period of time as a result of their working environment.
In the United Kingdom, thousands of people have been affected by industrial deafness. Employees can be put at risk in many different industries particularly shipbuilding, coal mining, metal manufacturing and engineering [factory environments] where noisy machinery is used.
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Who is responsible for your Occupational Deafness?
Employer to blame for Industrial Deafness
To help prevent more cases of Industrial Deafness, the Noise at Work Act 1989 was introduced. This Act put in place rules relating to health and safety in the workplace which must be adhered to. Those rules combined with advances in technology have created quieter workplaces and incidences of industrial deafness are now much rarer. Workplaces are generally a safer place to be now than they were years ago.
If your hearing has deteriorated and you were once employed in a constantly noisy environment, you may be entitled to make a personal injury compensation claim for Noise Induced Hearing Loss.
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Making a Personal Injury Compensation Claim for Industrial Deafness
Advice about Compensation Claims for Occupational Deafness
If you or someone you know has developed occupational deafness or any other industrial illness, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.
There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim, including claims for occupational deafness. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.
Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim for occupational deafness in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Thompsons Solicitors to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your industrial deafness, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online compensation claim forms.
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News Stories about Industrial Deafness
News we have published about Occupational Deafness
We have published news stories on our website about issues relating to Industrial Deafness. A selection of these are available to read below. To read more of our news stories, visit our News Desk.
12th December 2007 - Factory foreman deafened by noise wins compensation from Corus
3rd December 2007 - Union member from Kent secures £6,000 damages for noise induced hearing loss
24th October 2007 - Alcoa Extruded Products (UK) Ltd, of Banbury, Oxfordshire, forced to pay damages to local GMB member in latest deafness claim
17th July 2007 - Polisher from Leeds secures £6,500 compensation in deafness claim
19th June 2007 - UK Coal Ltd to pay £4,500 damages to County Durham worker who suffered from noise induced hearing loss
4th May 2007 - Retired fitter from Humberside secures £4,000 in compensation for work-related hearing loss
21st March 2007 - Firefighter wins damages for hearing loss
30th August 2006 - Butcher from Yorkshire secures £5,000 compensation for work-related hearing loss
31st July 2006 - Foundry worker receives compensation for noise induced hearing loss
12th July 2006 - Firefighter praised for wanting to help people
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Real Life Stories about Industrial Deafness
Clients we have helped with claims for Occupational Deafness
In the past when our specialist personal injury solicitors have helped sufferers of industrial deafness to make a compensation claim, they have written to thank us for our help. Extracts of some of these letters can be found below. To read all of the extracts from thank you letters we have published on our website, visit our Client Comments section.
- Mr Mullane approached Thompsons Solicitors to make a personal injury claim in respect of his industrial deafness even though he wasn't sure if he would be able to claim. An extract from his thank-you letter said "I thank you for the cheque ... in final settlement of my claim. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff for the difficult and complicated work it must have taken to reach such a generous settlement of my claim. When I first came to see you ... I wondered if it was worth making a claim against my past employers especially with them not trading as the companies which I was employed with. Following that meeting and the professional manner in which you and your staff have progressed my claim I realise that only because of the backing of the Amicus Union and having the help of solicitors of your quality that such a settlement was possible which was far and above what I had expected". Mr Mullane received £9,600.
- When Mr Blewitt approached Thompsons Solicitors to make a personal injury compensation claim for his Industrial Deafness our specialist personal injury solicitors knew that they did not have any time to spare. Mr Blewitt had been informed by a doctor almost three years earlier that he was suffering from Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus as a result of his working conditions and due to the time which had passed, the Law did not allow him much more time to make his compensation claim for occupational deafness. Thompsons' specialist personal injury solicitors acted fast and Mr Blewitt accepted an offer of £6,500 compensation for his industrial deafness claim. His thank you letter said "Thanks very much for all your hard work in obtaining me a settlement for my damaged hearing, its very much appreciated".
- Mr Whitehead was employed by Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Ltd from 1974 until 2002. During his time working there, he was exposed to high levels of noise from axles being assembled and engines being tested. He later developed Noise Induced Hearing Loss which doctors attributed to his noisy working conditions. Thompsons' specialist personal injury Lawyers recovered £8,000 compensation for Mr Whitehead and his thank you letter read "I am extremely grateful for all your efforts on my behalf and for the fact that you have been so very approachable. While my hearing problems persist, it is reassuring to have the money available to purchase equipment which will hopefully ease some of my difficulties in the future".
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Client Testimonials in Occupational Deafness claims
Testimonials from clients who have received Industrial Deafness compensation
- A member of the trade union Amicus recently secured £10,000 in compensation after suffering from noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) following 35 years working at a smelting company in Northumberland.
The 59 year old from Northumberland brought his claim after realising that his hearing had become severely impaired. He was struggling to hear normal conversations and suffering from ringing in both ears.
He explains: "The noise at work was excessive; you couldn't hear yourself think. I got used to it though, although I never realised the lasting and damaging effect that it would have on my hearing. I find it difficult to hear normal conversations, especially if there is background noise".
"As a long-standing Amicus member, I decided to take action with the assistance of Thompsons Solicitors. They have a great reputation with cases like this and I knew all would be well with them fighting my case".
"I'm so glad I did because they were superb. They kept me informed, and most importantly I didn't need to worry about the process at all. From what I've now learned, noise is one of the most underestimated workplace risks so I will certainly be recommending them highly to my colleagues and friends and family."
- A retired fitter from Humberside secured £4,000 compensation for work-related hearing loss. The Amicus union member suffered from noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) which was accumulated over many years.
Malcolm Goddard, aged 60, of Goole, North Humberside, brought his claim after realising that his hearing had become impaired, with a ringing in his right ear.
"The noise on site was very loud. Noise was transmitted from the machines used to roll the steel. There were two furnaces, underground hydraulics and a roughing mill. From around 1972-80, I was told I didn't need hearing protection, and then in approximately 1980 some of the workers there were given it. I received hearing protection in around 1990 but it was another five years or so until it became compulsory. It was not until June 2005 when I changed jobs and went onto Quality Control in a noisy environment working outside that I noticed a problem with my hearing and in particular a hissing in my right ear."
Without the support of his union, and the expert assistance of Thompsons Solicitors, Mr Goddard believes that he would not have been successful with his claim.
"I was introduced to Thompsons because Amicus has a free legal help scheme which I could take advantage of," he explains. "They were so helpful and professional. They kept me in touch throughout and did their job properly. My advice to anyone in a similar position is simple – 'Go to Thompsons!'"
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Organisations which may be able to help if you have developed Occupational Deafness
Links to assist sufferers of Industrial Deafness
RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People) - is the largest charity working to change the world for the UK’s 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people.
Deafness Research UK - is the medical charity for deaf and hard of hearing people. They exist to secure radical improvements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all forms of hearing impairment. Ultimately, their aim is to find cures for these distressing and neglected disabilities.
JobCentrePlus - Information about benefits you can claim if you have developed Industrial Deafness or any other Industrial Illness.
HSE (Health & Safety Executive) - their mission is to protect people's health and safety by ensuring risks in the changing workplace are properly controlled.
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