Hearing Loss And Industrial Deafness Claims Success For CWU Members
Website sponsors, MPH Solicitors continue to support CWU members in their fight for compensation from their employers following many years of service which resulted in them sustaining hearing loss and in many cases now suffering from Tinnitus.
With claims companies, who are only interested in quick profit, now jumping on the bandwagon and advertising their services on the radio and TV, workers with Trade Union membership must be reminded that the true professionals that the CWU and other unions utilise in supporting their members; are in fact solicitors such as MPH, who have been successfully tackling this issue on behalf of Trade Union members for many years.
As Chris Ingram, editor of Unionsafety says, claims companies seldom go into the 'nitty gritty' of an individual case:
"My personal experience of dealing with claims companies and sorting out the mess they have caused in claims brought on behalf of a family member and a close friend; shows claims companies are only interested in making a quick profit. Lack of subject knowledge, inaction and minimum paperwork completed by the claims company, leaving it up to the claimant to prepare; are common threads of the situations in the cases concerned."
He added: " Sadly people dont seem to go to their Trade Unions for legal support, and end up, in my view being ripped off and not getting the best financial settlement they could get, had they used their Trade Union solicitors services."
With regard to injuries caused by work, MPH’s website explains that there is far more to hearing loss than most claims companies are aware of, or indeed interested in:
“Noise Induced Hearing Loss or industrial deafness claims include not just hearing loss caused as a result of exposure to excessive noise but tinnitus and also hyperacusis. Hearing loss can be in both ears or in one ear. Excessive noise can also damage the hearing by causing a person to suffer from sensitivity to noise (hyperacusis) or experience noise in one ear, both ears, or in the head (tinnitus). This noise can be ringing it can sound like radio interference, white noise, the sound of the seashore and so on. A person can suffer from all three conditions or any one of them on their own or in combination with the others.”
MPH explains further:
“A number of causes may substantiate industrial deafness claims, excessive noise can be generated from heavy machinery, factory processes, tool usage such as road breakers, chain saws and other heavy hand tools. Unprotected exposure to gunfire, explosions, loud engines can all cause damage to the ears. Damage can also be caused from excessive noise where the noise exposure is in the ear for example headsets.
The noise can be intermittent it can be constant; it can be a one off very loud noise such as gunfire or an explosion.”
Commenting on the effects upon an individual and on how to deal with the ill-health and hearing problems caused, MPH advise:
“The effects of Noise Induced Hearing Loss, tinnitus, hyperacusis can be mild or very severe it depends on the level of noise and the individual susceptibility of the person who has been exposed to that noise.
There is no cure to hearing loss but modern digital hearing aids are becoming ever more sophisticated in addressing the problem in terms of improving the hearing and managing the tinnitus. The digital equipment can be unobtrusive, in the ear and behind the ear. There are also tinnitus masking devices and tinnitus re-training therapy which can help a person cope with their symptoms. Hearing aids and equipment costs can be recovered in a claim.”
MPH Solicitors have great experience in dealing with Noise Induced Hearing Loss and tinnitus cases and are currently investigating in the region of 400 hearing loss cases. They have represented the Communication Workers Union members such as BT telephone engineers in hearing loss cases for over 20 years.
Unlike claims companies, MPH Solicitors employ an expert team of Lawyers ENT Consultants, Hearing Aid Specialists, Engineers and Barristers with vast experience in investigating and pursuing successful claims.
Most recently they recovered £6,500.00 for Mr CM who had worked for BT for a number of years. Whilst employed by BT Mr CM was exposed to excessive noise having used a number of tone amp equipment to assist in locating faults on telephone lines.
He was never provided with any ear protection and was completely unaware that his hearing was being damaged by using the tone set equipment.
It is worth noting that each of the Directors at MPH solicitors, Geraldine McCool, Frank Patterson, Dominic Hemsi, Mark Havenhand and Simon Harrington, specialises in one key area of legal claims, with their four Manchester Directors being recognised as Leaders in their Field by Chambers UK.
Source: MPH / Unionsafety
