If you're suffering with hearing issues because of a noisy workplace, you could make a hearing loss claim
Employers have a legal responsibility to make sure that all staff are appropriately briefed and cared for when working in environments where they're subjected to consistently high noise levels.
Workplaces where noise levels may cause hearing damage could include:
- Bars and nightclubs
- Construction sites
- Military training sites
- Factories
Any job where the noise levels are high comes with considerable risk to your hearing - especially if you haven't been given protective equipment. It's your employer's job to ensure that the impact the noise has on you is minimal.
If they've failed to do this and your hearing has suffered as a result, we know how unfair it can feel. We can guide you through the process of making a no win no fee hearing loss claim.
What are the symptoms of industrial deafness?
What are the symptoms of industrial deafness?
Work-related hearing loss most often happens gradually and you might not notice it at first.
Industrial deafness is sometimes also known as ‘occupational deafness' or ‘noise induced hearing loss' (NIHL). But how can you tell if you have it?
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
It can be difficult to learn to live with the long-term consequences of mistakes that weren't your fault. The hearing loss you've suffered is likely to have affected your daily life - in some cases, you may even have had to find a new career.
We don't think that's fair, so we're here to help you make it right by helping you start a 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 hearing loss tinnitus claims. Call us on to talk through your experience and see how we can help.
Can I claim for loss of hearing?
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, legally-trained 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, so we understand and can still help you. 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.
How can hearing loss compensation help?
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.
Noise induced hearing loss can happen gradually and can be very frustrating. If you were exposed to high noise levels at work and are suffering the signs of industrial deafness, we're here to help you understand if you could make a hearing loss claim.
Jonathan White
Legal Director, National Accident HelplineHow much noise is too much noise?
How much noise is too much noise?
Noise levels are measured in decibels (dB). The decibel scale ranges from absolute silence (0dB) to, at the top end, the sound level of an aeroplane taking off 100m away (130dB).
According to Action On Hearing Loss, 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 - but 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 in 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 which should not be exceeded - called the exposure limit values - are daily or weekly exposure of 87 dB, and peak sound pressure of 140 dB.
How much compensation do you get for hearing loss?
How much compensation do you get for hearing loss?
You may be wondering ‘how much is a hearing loss claim worth?'. There is no simple answer - the amount of compensation received in industrial hearing claims 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 which may be paid in industrial hearing claims before your claim gets underway. This is why we created our compensation calculator, which you may find useful.You may also find the workplace hearing loss compensation tables below helpful. These tables give guideline figures for hearing loss compensation claims and are from the latest edition of the Judicial College guidelines. The Judicial College is part of the Ministry of Justice and sets the ranges of compensation for all types of accident injury, including noise induced hearing loss claims.
| Injury type | Compensation range |
| Total deafness and loss of speech | £102,890 - £132,040 |
| Total deafness | £85,170 - £102,890 |
| Total loss of hearing in one ear | £29,380 - £42,730 |
| Severe tinnitus and noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) | £27,890 - £42,730 |
| Moderate tinnitus and NIHL/ moderate to severe tinnitus/ NIHL alone | £13,970 - £27,890 |
| Mild tinnitus with some NIHL | £11,820 - £13,970 |
| Mild tinnitus alone/ mild NIHL alone | Around £11,000 |
| Slight or occasional tinnitus with slight NIHL | £6,910 - £11,820 |
| Slight NIHL without tinnitus/ slight tinnitus without NIHL | Up to £6,580 |
If you're still wondering ‘how much compensation do you get for hearing loss?', our recommendation is that it's best to speak to your solicitor when your hearing loss claim is underway about what the settlement in your case could be. At this point, they will be fully up to speed with the facts of your case and will be best placed to give you an idea of the amount of hearing loss compensation you could receive.
How common is noise induced hearing loss?
How common is noise induced hearing loss?
The Health and Safety Executive estimates that 21,000 workers in Great Britain suffered work-related hearing problems between 2016 and 2019, while national charity Action On Hearing Loss say that exposure to loud noise is the second biggest cause of hearing loss.
While noise-induced hearing loss unfortunately can't be cured, many people who have suffered from it find wearing a hearing aid helpful. Action On Hearing Loss 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 legally-trained advisors are available on .
Is there a hearing loss claim time limit?
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.
Every day, we help customers like James to start a claim
National Accident Helpline are very good at what they do. The process was easy.
James, Surrey
Starting a hearing loss claim
To find out more about making a hearing loss compensation claim, call our friendly, helpful team on .
All of our advisors are legally trained and your call with us is completely confidential - we'll simply ask you some questions and then let you know whether we think you could make a hearing loss claim.
It's important to remember that we'll never rush or pressure you into starting a claim. We're here to help you get the information you need to make a decision on what to do next.
If you do decide to go ahead and start a claim, we can help you take the next steps. We'll match you up with one of our specialist solicitors with experience of working on hearing loss claims. No win no fee terms will be discussed with you up front, so you know what to expect during your claim.
Our Legal Support Centre is open seven days a week until late, so our advisors are ready to talk through your case whenever you are ready. Call us on or use the simple form below to request a free call back.