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Hearing Loss Lawsuits
Many people suffer from hearing loss or tinnitus but may not know their legal rights. For example, if a loud noise at work has injured you, you may be entitled to compensation.
The personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC specialize in helping people who have suffered from hearing damage or tinnitus (constant ringing) due to someone's negligent actions. We can help you get the settlement you deserve.
Contact our personal injury law firm at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form today for immediate legal advice and schedule a free consultation to discuss compensation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.
Hearing Loss Injuries
Noise-related hearing loss is a common problem in the United States, with an estimated 30 million people suffering from some form of the condition that results in total or partial hearing loss.
Prolonged exposure to loud noises can cause permanent loss of hearing, and if you work in a noisy environment, you may be at risk for developing noise-related hearing problems.
Were you injured due to exposure to excessive noise and suffered permanent damage? Were your injuries workplace-related by those whose intentional behavior disregarded regulations?
If so, you may be able to file a workers' compensation claim or a lawsuit against your employer.
Hearing Loss Statistics
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), noise-induced hearing problems are the most common work-related injury in the U.S.
Hearing loss causes more than $242 million in workers' compensation costs every year, accounting for approximately 22% of all cases.
Almost half of those affected could have protected their hearing had their employers taken preventive measures to protect employees' ears with protective equipment (OSHA, 2012).
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), approximately 22 million Americans are exposed to dangerous noise levels in their workplace following regulations typically enforced by the agency.
High Noise Levels Throughout Every Work Shift
In 2011, about 22 million workers were exposed at their jobs to more than eight hours of noise that endangered their hearing health, NIOSH reported on Dec. 5, 2011.
According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, in Illinois, the rate of hearing loss in 2019 was 8.6 cases of hearing loss per every one thousand people over the age of eighteen, compared to an average across the U.S. of 8.8 incidents for every 1,000 people.
In Chicago, the rate of different types of hearing loss that year was 10.5 cases per 1,000 people.
Noise exposures are most often due to loud machines, power tools, and weapons law enforcement officers use. OSHA reported that two million workers had permanent hearing loss and about two-thirds of those cases were due to noise.
Hearing Loss Statistics from Other Causes:
According to medical records, nearly 35 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. Most people with hearing problems are between the ages of 40 and 64, according to the NIDCD. Unfortunately, only one in five people who could benefit from a hearing aid uses one.
Total or partial hearing loss is more likely to occur in older adults, but ear infections and lengthy exposure to equipment or machinery that emit loud noise can also cause significant hearing loss in children.
Old age is the most common risk factor for total or partial hearing loss (nearly thirty percent of Americans between 65 and 74 have experienced high-frequency hearing loss).
Sensorineural Hearing Loss Versus Conductive Hearing Loss
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when damage to the cochlea, auditory nerve, inner ear, or higher levels of the hearing pathway in the brain that process sound.
Those who experience sensorineural hearing problems often have ringing in their ears (tinnitus), and sounds might seem too loud or too quiet. Sensorineural hearing issues can be caused by:
- Age
- Noise exposure (including music and some medications)
- Autoimmune disorders
- Head and neck trauma
- Chemotherapy
Conductive hearing loss occurs due to a physical blockage of sound vibrations at any point between the outer ear (the pinna and external auditory canal) and the oval window—a flexible area that connects the middle ear to the fluid-filled cochlea in the inner ear.
Treatments for hearing loss vary depending on the degree of the problem and the cause. A physician will assess your type of loss of hearing before recommending a treatment option.
Conductive hearing problems are the most common forms of hearing impairment. The ears' sound processing portions cannot properly transmit sound waves toward the eardrum because the inner ear, central nerve, or other issues blocking or restricting the sound.
File a Workers' Compensation Claim
If you have work-related auditory problems, you may be able to file a worker's compensation claim. To file a worker's compensation claim, you will need to prove that your hearing loss is work-related.
This evidence can include:
- A medical diagnosis of the condition from a licensed physician
- Proof of your work duties and how they contributed to your problem
- Receipts for any hearing aids or other medical devices that you have purchased to treat your condition
- Proof that you have been away from work due to your hearing issues
- Proof of any expenses incurred as a result of your condition
In Illinois, you must file a notice of your injury with your employer within 30 days after becoming away from your personal injury.
You must file a petition for hearing within one year of your notice of injury or within one year of when you knew or should have known that your injury was caused by your employment--whichever is first.
Should there be extenuating circumstances that kept you from filing on time, you can file a petition for hearing within 300 days after you knew of or should have known about the injury.
Paper Mill Sued by Employees Over Numerous Types of Hearing Loss
Scott Paper employees sued the company, filing hearing loss claims after working in loud environments. One employee stated he sustained permanent noise-related occupational hearing problems from long-term noise exposure.
You could file a worker's compensation claim even if your employer did not provide you with appropriate ear protection (defective earplugs).
Additionally, should your employer fail to warn you that job duties regularly expose you to hazardous noise levels, they could be held accountable for more than medical bills and lost wages through third-party hearing loss claims.
Hire a Personal Injury Law Firm to Resolve Your Compensation Claim
Are you suffering job-related injuries caused by someone else's negligence or harmed in an auto accident while driving for your company?
If So, you might be entitled to receive worker's compensation benefits and monetary recovery for your personal injury damages, including medical expenses and lost wages?
We offer a no-fee guarantee: Our services are free if we cannot get a recovery for you. Call our personal injury lawyers at (888) 424-5757 for a free consultation. Our contact form sends information to our law office immediately too!