Noise At Work: When Can You Claim Compensation?

Find out when you can claim compensation for exposure to excessive noise at work leading to hearing loss.

Noise At Work Question

I have worked for many years in a noisy work environment and over the last year noticed my hearing deteriorate. I was referred by GP to the hospital to have my hearing tested and have been diagnosed with hearing loss and tinnitus (a continuous sound in my ears).

Can I claim compensation for my hearing damage from the excessive noise at work?

Noise induced hearing loss solicitor response

If you suffer noise induced hearing loss from exposure to excessive noise at work – it is possible you will be entitled to claim compensation from your employer.

The statutory limitation period to make a claim

An important factor is the statutory limitation period – how long you have to make a claim before it is too late.

The time you have to claim will depend on when your work noise exposure stopped and when the law considers it reasonable that you knew that you had hearing loss from noise.

It is therefore extremely important you speak with an industrial deafness solicitor to determine if you are still within time to make a claim.

Steps your solicitor may take to prove your claim

If limitation is not an issue – your solicitor will instruct an audiologist to give you a hearing test and produce an audiogram (the results of your hearing test plotted out onto a graph).

To verify your hearing loss is related to noise exposure – a further medical expert (typically and ENT) will examine the audiogram to see if the shape of the audiogram is such to support hearing loss from excessive noise exposure at work.

Your solicitor must also prove that the noise levels at work were above the safe levels as set out by government requirements in health and safety laws applicable at the time of your noise exposure.

We have described in detail the full process of claiming for hearing loss and tinnitus from excessive noise in our industrial deafness guide.

Speak to a specialist solicitor about your noise at work exposure

We offer a number of specialist solicitor free help options – you can arrange a solicitor callback or discuss your claim online.

Watch out – noise induced hearing loss and tinnitus can be difficult to assess online and will typically require a detailed conversation to establish if your noise at work exposure might still lead to a potential claim.