If you or a loved one has suffered through the negligence of the MoD while serving in the Armed Forces including the British Army, Royal Navy, or RAF whether on tour or not, you could be entitled to claim for compensation.
Through training to deployment, health can be affected by a number of causes. Noise-induced hearing loss (including tinnitus) is three and a half times more commonly occurring in veterans than the general population and can severely impact mental health.
If you have suffered hearing loss as a result of working in the military, we can help. We deal with all types of injury claims (including noise-induced hearing loss or NIHL) involving military personnel and have a good track record in securing settlements for our clients.
We can help you with your claim under the new Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and advise you on whether to pursue your claim in the civil courts under our ‘no win no fee’ specialist military legal advice scheme.
Military related hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is usually caused by repeated exposure to excessive noise levels and can be difficult to escape.
Hearing loss in the Armed Forces can be brought on by the noise levels from aircrafts, vehicle engines, explosions, pyrotechnics, gun fire and more. However hearing loss and tinnitus are not inevitable results of serving in the armed forces.
It is the responsibility of the MoD to measure any risks, reduce/control noise levels where possible and provide adequate + suitable hearing protection where necessary (in many cases, the hearing protection supplied is/was not fit for purpose).
Because damage from noise exposure can be a gradual process, the condition might not be immediately obvious. Subtle changes may develop over time, such as difficulty differentiating between background and foreground noise, reliance on louder volumes and lip-reading during conversations. Sounds may become distorted or muffled and phantom noises such as ringing, buzzing, hissing, roaring and pulsing can arise.
Struggling to hear conversations from a reasonable distance
Ringing or buzzing in both ears (tinnitus)
Distorted sounds
Struggling to hear people speaking on the phone
Becoming withdrawn from social interactions
Listening to music/TV at a very high volume
If you’ve served or currently serve in the military and suffer from hearing loss or tinnitus as a result of a failed duty of care by the Ministry of Defence, you could be entitled to claim compensation.
Whilst avoidance, precaution and hearing protection measures are usually put in place, exposure to excessive noise is a likely occurrence in the military; this might be from explosions, vehicles, weapons or pyrotechnics. However the MoD has the responsibility to take precautions and put hearing protection measures in place, providing you with the relevant PPE to avoid possible hearing damage.
Following noise-induced hearing loss, there may be significant impacts on service, home life and post-service prospects. We will ensure that you receive the best possible compensation, taking into account every aspect of life which is affected.
During the initial stages of making a military claim, we will provide a free consultation to discuss the circumstances. Following this, we will investigate the extent of the injury and resulting losses.
Mr Brazier