Many people don’t realize that hearing loss can be a compensable workplace injury. The Workers’ Compensation Act provides benefits for loss of hearing related to exposure to noise on the job. It’s a form of a “specific loss,” which is a type of workers’ compensation designation for workers who lost a body part or a limb. In Pennsylvania, to qualify for workers’ compensation for hearing loss, the damage must be caused by employment, and it must qualify as “binaural (both ears) hearing loss in excess of ten percent.”
- How Do I Know if I Have a Case?
- What am I Entitled to?
- How Do I Make a Hearing Loss Claim?
How Do I Know if I Have a Case?
There is a particular formula a doctor must use when making his or her calculations on the percent hearing loss someone is experiencing. Often, a person with at least ten percent hearing loss will report they are unable to hear the television, voices on the telephone, or even the voice of those who are close by.
In order to be entitled to benefits, a worker must show these symptoms were brought on by being exposed to hazardous noise while on the job. That determination is not easy, and that’s why a physician is needed to render an opinion as to whether the hearing loss is related to noise on the job. Without this medical opinion, it is not possible to win a claim for hearing loss benefits.
Once a doctor has determined you have at least ten percent binaural hearing loss, and it is likely due to noise on the job, you have a case to file a claim.
What am I Entitled To?
If it is determined you are entitled to workers’ compensation, your benefits include doctor visits, hearing aids, and hearing aid batteries. Specific wage loss benefits are also provided. The amount of benefits that an individual is entitled to receive depends on the percentage of loss they are experiencing. The greater the percentage of loss, the greater the amount of money the person can receive. The injured worker would be entitled to receive up to 260 weeks of compensation benefits based on their average weekly salary at the time they were last exposed to the noise.
How Do I Make a Hearing Loss Claim?
The Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act requires you to report your injury to your employer quickly, normally within 120 days. Then, it requires the worker to make the claim within three years of the date of the injury. If you feel you’re experiencing hearing loss due to work noise, contact one of our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys right away.
Workers’ compensation claims can be very complicated. There are deadlines, many different types of workers’ compensation claims and often times, pressure from an employer and its insurer to sign off on the injury. Any misstep along the way can be detrimental to your case. Our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys will fight to get you what you deserve while navigating the complicated process for you.
Our attorneys at GLS Injury Law have helped secure millions of dollars for accident victims. If you or someone you know is injured on the job, Call Georgelis First at 717-394-3004.
We’re available 24/7 and will come to you for a free consultation. We never collect a fee unless we get money for you. Contact us today.
