The best way to claim for workplace noise induced hearing loss in Ireland is with the assistance of a personal injury solicitor. This article explains why.
If you have suffered damage to your hearing due to your working conditions, the usual process to claim for workplace noise induced hearing loss is to apply to the Injuries Board for an assessment of your claim. Provided your employer consents to the Injuries Board processing your application, and his or her insurance company agrees with the Injuries Board´s assessment, your claim for workplace noise induced hearing loss will be resolved within six or seven months.
However, will the settlement be wholly appropriate for the injury you have suffered? Only if the full consequences of your injury are communicated to the Injuries Board, who can only assess the value of personal injury claims on the merits of the information it is provided with. If you do not list the full consequences of your injury, the value of your claim will likely be calculated on the information provided in your doctor´s report.
Your doctor´s report will explain what degree of hearing loss you have suffered, but will not communicate how the hearing loss has impacted your quality of life. If, for example, you are no longer able to enjoy watching a film because you cannot follow the soundtrack – or enjoying a drink in the pub because you are unable to follow the conversation – this are factors that should be included when you claim for workplace noise induced hearing loss.
There may be many more factors that should be included in a claim for workplace noise induced hearing loss – some that maybe you have not even noticed yet. If you speak with a solicitor – or have somebody speak with a solicitor on your behalf – the solicitor will likely recommend you maintain a diary to record the times when you quality of life is impacted by your injury. He or she will then include all these factors in your application for assessment to the Injuries Board.
With a full understanding of the consequences of your injury, the Injuries Board will assess your claim for workplace noise induced hearing loss to account for the deterioration in your quality of life as well as the extent of your injury. This could amount to a substantial portion of your compensation settlement and is an important reason why you should only make an application for assessment to the Injuries Board with the assistance of a personal injury solicitor.