Hearing Loss Can Be Permanently Disabling
If you are an industrial worker who is experiencing hearing loss, you may be able to recover benefits through workers’ compensation. However, you must be able to prove that your hearing loss is work-related. This can be an uphill battle for anyone who does not have experience with handling a hearing loss claim through the workers’ compensation system.
At Thill & Freeman, PLLC, our lawyer can help. With over 30 years of experience in a wide range of workers’ compensation matters, attorney Mark Freeman understands the tactics that insurance companies use to deny claims and limit disability benefits, and he uses his knowledge to get you the benefits you deserve.
Audiologists: Do you have a patient with hearing loss? Did you know that workers’ comp can cover the cost of a hearing aid? Contact us today to refer a patient.
Industrial Causes Of Workers’ Hearing Loss
Like repetitive stress injuries that wear a person’s body down over time, hearing loss often results from repeated exposure to loud noise or vibrations that damage the inner ear. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recognize 85 decibels as the level at which noise can cause hearing loss. If you have to raise your voice at work, noise levels are probably over 85 decibels.
NOTE: Although OSHA recognizes 85db as the threshold for excessive noise, each individual is different and ENT doctors will agree that damage to hearing can occur at lower levels of noise exposure, especially with exposure to such levels for prolonged periods of time.
Once the damage is done, workers can experience diminished or muffled hearing, difficulty understanding speech, tinnitus, inner ear pain and even vertigo.
Other causes of hearing loss include:
- A blow to the head
- Exposure to industrial chemicals
- Medicines
- Toxic substances, including mercury, arsenic, tin and lead
- Loud music
Because there are so many possible causes of hearing loss, it is not always easy to prove the injury is job-related.
Workers At Risk Of Hearing Loss In Minnesota
Hearing loss is most prevalent among workers who are continuously exposed to loud noise, especially when they do not use adequate hearing protection. In many cases, a worker can take steps to preserve their remaining hearing and improve their quality of life with a hearing aid.
However, in the worst cases, hearing loss can be a disabling condition, which is why it is so important to obtain workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation disability benefits are essential for many workers as occupational hearing loss is often irreversible. Hearing loss also generally worsens over time.
Contact Us For A Free Initial Consultation
We represent employees in Minneapolis, the West Metro area and throughout Minnesota who are seeking workers’ compensation benefits for hearing loss. Please call 952-232-1752 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation with our attorney.