We oftentimes take our senses for granted, but all it takes is damage to one of these key senses to realize just how much we rely on our ability to see, hear and feel. One type of sensory injury that is particularly common in certain industries is occupational hearing loss. Whether it is the result of a traumatic sound event or exposure to elevated noise levels for years, there are a number of different ways your hearing can be damaged during the course of your job duties. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the steps you should take if you believe you have suffered hearing loss as a result of your line of work.
Hearing Loss On The Job
As we alluded to above, there are a number of different ways that an individual’s hearing can be damaged during their work duties. A loud explosion, chronic noise exposure or chemical exposure can all have a detrimental effect on your hearing, and if these issues occur on the job, you have a right to injury compensation.
Damage to your hearing ability can also occur in a few different ways. When you think of the term “hearing loss,” you probably just imagine someone who struggles to hear sounds that are projected at a standard speaking level, but that’s just one form of hearing loss. Another form of hearing loss that many workers experience is called tinnitus. This is a medical condition in which an individual believes to be hearing a sound despite the absence of an external sound source. For example, some workers may experience a chronic ringing, buzzing or hissing sound in their ears because of damage to the ear or their nervous system. Needless to say, living with a constant ringing in your ears can significantly impact your quality of life, and you deserve to be compensated for these injuries.
Pursuing A Hearing Loss Claim In Minnesota
If you believe you have suffered hearing loss on the job and you still work for that employer, you should report your concerns to Human Resources or management. Even if they don’t start the claim’s process right away, you’ll want it on record that you discussed your hearing loss with management.
The next step in the process holds true whether or not you still work for the company at which the hearing loss occurred, and that step involves heading to a physician for an independent medical exam. Let the doctor know that you believe that you have suffered occupational hearing loss and are seeking an evaluation. They’ll conduct a physical examination and ask you some questions about your current or past job duties. From there, they will make a determination as to whether or not any documented hearing loss could be tied to your current or previous work duties.
If they confirm that hearing loss has taken place, your next step will be to contact a workers’ compensation firm like the team at Hey Workers. They will sit down with you, go over your case and talk with you about your options. They will review the medical exam and conduct additional research into the type of noise environments you are or were exposed to on the job. If they believe that a case can be made to tie your hearing loss to your job duties, you can hire the firm to build a case for you and get you the benefits you deserve.
It can be incredibly helpful to have a workers’ compensation lawyer by your side if you are hoping to win an occupation hearing loss claim because these cases can be complex and difficult to win if you don’t present your case in a compelling manner. Many adults naturally lose some of their hearing ability as they get older, so you need to showcase that your hearing loss was not a result of natural aging but rather noise exposure on the job. A lawyer knows how to help showcase this argument with facts and expert testimony, but it may be difficult for the Average Joe to make a similar case. You have a lot on the line, so don’t leave your compensation up to chance. Hire a lawyer who will build the strongest case and give you the best chance of earning an award.
Not only will a lawyer work on a contingent basis, meaning there is no fee unless they earn compensation for their client, but they can take the entire burden of the case off your shoulders. This frees you up to spend your time as you choose knowing that your case is in good hands. This helps take the stress out of the equation and oftentimes leads to a much bigger payday for the client, which is a win-win!
So if you believe you’ve developed some hearing loss as a result of a work accident or chronic noise exposure, pick up the phone and contact the team at Hey Workers to set up a free consultation. For more information, or to talk to a lawyer about a different type of work injury, reach out to our team today at (844) 439-9675.
