If you have suffered hearing loss due to excessively loud noises on the job, you have legal rights and may be due compensation. The long-term effects of hearing loss due to noise exposure should not be ignored. Sadly, many people do not know where to begin to seek compensation and are intimidated by what seems a complex process. Speak to a knowledgeable Virginia workers’ comp attorney at the law office of Montagna Klein Camden, and we can help smooth things out and help you fight for the disability benefits and compensation you deserve.
What Is Occupational Hearing Loss?
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 24% of workers in the U.S. have hearing difficulties, and 8% suffer from tinnitus caused by exposure to toxic chemicals or loud noises on the job. Trauma from a work-related injury can also lead to loss of hearing, whether temporary or permanent.
Under OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) guidelines, employers have a responsibility to provide or recommend ear protection like headphones or earplugs if a job carries the risk of noise exposure. The Montagna Law office understands these cases well, and we can help you build a case to earn compensation for your work-related or service-related hearing loss. If you need help with your hearing loss case, contact our law firm at 757-622-8100 or use our online contact form to schedule a free consultation with one of our personal injury lawyers and get important legal advice today.
What Are the Different Types of Hearing Loss in Virginia?
Hearing loss comes in three basic categories. These include conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss.
Conductive Hearing Loss
Conductive hearing loss happens in the middle or outer ear and occurs when sound waves cannot reach the inner ear. This can be caused by blockage from foreign objects or the buildup of earwax. Impacted fluid in the middle ear, infection, injuries to the eardrum, or even structural abnormalities can be causes. Sometimes this type of hearing loss can be reversed medically.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Sensorineural hearing loss happens when the inner ear or hearing nerve suffers damage. This is the most common type of hearing loss and can be caused by age, loud noise exposure, injury, illness, drugs, and even inherited conditions. This type of hearing loss tends not to be treatable, but hearing aids can help many who are diagnosed with the condition.
Mixed Hearing Loss
Mixed hearing loss covers all types of impairments that combine elements of the first two types. In some cases, hearing loss can even be a symptom of traumatic brain injury.
Which Virginia Industries Are the Most at Risk for Hearing Loss?
Any industry where people are exposed to loud noises can present a risk of hearing loss. A few of these include the following.
Construction Workers
Construction workers use heavy and loud equipment like jackhammers and construction vehicles. Whether it is due to repeated exposure to loud noises without earplugs being supplied, or exposure to a sudden loud noise like a load dropping unexpectedly, hearing damage is common.
Firefighters
Firefighters often have to deal with collapsing buildings, roaring flames, and explosions. All of these can do major damage to the ear and can result in tinnitus and hearing loss.
Law Enforcement Professionals
Law enforcement professionals deal with loud noises on a regular basis. Hearing loss can result from firing a gun at a firing range, riot situations requiring the use of flash-bang grenades, or many other circumstances.
Transportation Workers
Transportation workers, particularly those in the airline industry, have to deal with the noise of heavy machinery every day. This can, over time, result in gradual hearing loss.
Mechanics
Mechanics are constantly subjected to loud noises from heavy machinery, tools, and equipment. It is not uncommon for career mechanics to eventually suffer hearing loss from this noise exposure.
Active Duty Military Service Members
Whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other active duty area, military service members can be involved in firefights, face explosions, and deal with loud machinery and equipment. These careers can be some of the most devastating for an injured worker’s hearing. Military cases can be complex and require special knowledge to pursue. Montagna Law can help.
Agriculture Workers
Hearing loss for agriculture workers often occurs through exposure to heavy equipment from tractors to grain threshers and beyond.
Maritime, Oil, and Gas Workers
Workers in these industries work on gigantic rigs and vessels using loud equipment every day of their lives. A sudden bang on-site or constant exposure over time can result in loss of hearing.
Mining Workers
Mining workers are in enclosed spaces and use machinery that can roar, bang, and rumble. Often they can be exposed to sudden and unexpected noises, be it from a clanking machine or a cave-in.
What Can I Do If I Suffer Hearing Damage on the Job in Virginia?
The first thing to do if you suffer hearing loss or tinnitus from a work-related injury is to know your rights. Most industries in Virginia see injured workers covered by workers’ compensation. It can be tricky and complex to get your hearing loss claim accepted and your disability benefits paid; however, even if you are unsure about the finer details classification of your claim, it is important to seek legal advice from skilled workers’ compensation attorneys as soon as possible.
File a hearing loss claim with your employer and the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission within the required time frame. Next, speak to an audiologist who can give you a disability rating based on your average decibel loss as determined by a Puretone or other hearing loss exam, which can help you seek fair compensation.
What Types of Compensation Are Available for Hearing Loss Claims in Virginia?
Hearing loss injury cases can see a wide range of benefits paid. You may be eligible to collect compensation for lost wages based on your average weekly wage before the incident. You can be compensated for your medical expenses, for the long-term impacts of your hearing loss, and to help cover the cost of hearing assistance devices.
Why Choose Montagna Law for Your Loss of Hearing Claim?
If you need to make a disability claim for loss of hearing, tinnitus, or other damage to your ear, our team of workers’ compensation lawyers understands just how far-reaching the harm can be. We are deeply passionate about helping injured workers get the benefits they deserve in their VA disability claims.
We also understand the disability rating process and how it can impact a claim before the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission. One of our injury lawyers will work tirelessly to help you get properly compensated for your injury case. Contacting a qualified, experienced workers’ compensation attorney at Montagna Law can be the best call you can make.
How Long Does It Take to Get an Appointment With a Virginia Hearing Loss Lawyer?
If you call today, we can schedule your free consultation immediately. It is important to work quickly when facing a personal injury or workers’ comp case of any kind, and we understand that. We will be in your corner right away, and right from the start.
Regardless of Your Condition, We Will Handle Your Claim
When you work with Montagna Klein Camden, whether you are in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, or anywhere else in Hampton Roads, you will get a compassionate, caring ally in your struggle. You will never have to worry about us not making appropriate accessibility adjustments specifically for you.
We are deeply empathetic to the injuries you have suffered, and we want to make this process as easy for you as possible. Maintaining helpful and honest attorney-client relationships matters more than anything else to us. We work diligently to win you the compensation you deserve.
Not only will we fight for your rights, but we may be able to give you advice and information on service connections to help you get control of your life once more. Call our law office today at 757-622-8100 or fill out our easy contact form to schedule your free case review today with no obligation and no disclaimer. Let us help you when you need it the most.
