Numerous employees are convinced that if they leave a noisy workplace and time goes on without any obvious injuries, then any follow-up health problems must be of another nature. This assumption is challenged by hearing loss. Compared to other types of injuries, hearing loss can take a long time for the effects to become obvious, and thus it is often referred to as a silent injury. It may take years for the impacts to show, and at that point, workers are often unsure of whether they still have rights under the legislation on workers’ compensation.
If you have a noisy workplace and you still have hearing problems, you are definitely not alone. Occupational hearing loss is one of the most common and least recognized sources of workplace-related diseases.
Table of Contents
- Workplace Noise Leading to Long-term Hearing Damage
- Why Hearing Loss Appears Years After the Job Ends?
- Jobs Most Commonly Associated With Delayed Hearing Loss
- Does Hearing Loss That Develops Later Get Covered by Workers’ Compensation?
- When Does the Hearing Loss Claim Countdown Start?
- What to Do If You Think You May Have Hearing Loss at Work
- Years Later, You Can Still Be Entitled to Workers’ Compensation
- Sources
Workplace Noise Leading to Long-term Hearing Damage
The ear of a human being is a very complicated and sensitive organ. Such small sensory cells in the cochlea help in changing the sound waves into the electrical signals that the brain can understand. These cells are very fragile. Repeated exposure to loud noise can cause these cells to be damaged beyond repair.
Noise at work is seldom a single event. In most cases, it means being close to the noise of the machines, tools, engines, and the like that are used every day. Even when noise levels do not seem to be very high, long-term exposure can still lead to a gradual increase in the so-called cumulative damage. Hearing loss develops slowly because the ear becomes less and less able to recognize certain frequencies.
One of the reasons why hearing loss due to noise at work is sometimes not detected is that it happens slowly. Workers compensate by turning up the volume, asking others to repeat what they have said, or staying away from noisy places. These small changes can hide the problem’s seriousness until hearing loss has become so severe that it affects one’s daily activities.
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Why Hearing Loss Appears Years After the Job Ends?
Hearing loss is not always visible when a person is still alive. A lot of workers don’t come across the symptoms until years later, and this postponement can have different reasons.
Firstly, very often, the early hearing loss is associated with high-pitched sounds that are not necessarily very important for a normal conversation. Secondly, the brain compensates for hearing loss by using more context and visual cues. Thirdly, a significant number of people think that hearing changes are a natural aging process and thus they do not visit the doctor immediately.
Often, the level of hearing loss can be unveiled through a simple hearing test, a medical consultation, or a discussion with the family members. Employees might start to think if their previous employer had something to do with it. In most cases, the answer is affirmative.
Jobs Most Commonly Associated With Delayed Hearing Loss
Some jobs have been identified as long-term noise exposure companies. For instance, Construction workers are surrounded by the noise of power tools and heavy machinery. Employees in factories and manufacturing plants are the only ones who spend years in the company of the noise of the machinery. Workers in warehouses and logistics may be the victims of continuous machine noise and vehicle traffic.
Furthermore, mining, farming, transportation, aviation, and emergency services are the next vocations with a high risk of hearing loss. The Police, paramedics, and firefighters are easily the most common group of people exposed to engines and sirens. Even workers in the food service, entertainment, and hospitality industries may be exposed to harmful noise resulting from the use of amplified music systems or kitchen appliances.
Not all injuries can be prevented by simply using hearing protection. The main factors that may reflect the effectiveness of the protection are the wrong fit, irregular use, and the lack of enforcement. Strictly speaking, in very small time intervals, permanent hearing loss can be the consequence of those minor gaps in going without protection.
Hearing Loss Among Emergency Responders: Firefighters, Paramedics, and Police
Does Hearing Loss That Develops Later Get Covered by Workers’ Compensation?
One of the objectives of workers’ compensation is to cover the expenses of diseases and injuries that result from working. This includes not only accidents but also those conditions that have developed gradually. It is generally accepted that noise-induced hearing loss is an occupational condition.
In many states, hearing loss is not considered a single injury, but rather an occupational condition. Thus, employees may file claims under this category even if the injury happened gradually. The essential point is whether the work had a significant influence on the condition, not the time of the exposure.
Workers’ compensation benefits for hearing loss may include the costs of medical examinations, hearing tests, hearing aids, and, in some cases, money for permanent disability. The exact benefits depend on state laws and the degree of hearing loss.
When Does the Hearing Loss Claim Countdown Start?
Timing is one of the most confusing aspects of delayed hearing loss incidents. There are time limits for reporting injuries and filing claims according to workers’ compensation regulations. Each state has its own timeframes, but quite often, differently delayed situations are specified in the states’ rules.
In most jurisdictions, the period for filing starts the day when the employee actually knew or should have known that the hearing loss was caused by work. The date of discovery is also another term for this. For example, a worker may be forced to have a hearing test years after retirement, and then the test reveals that the hearing loss is due to the noise in the workplace. It may be that the clock is started with that diagnosis.
What comes after discovery is what matters most. If you wait too long after finding out that your hearing loss is work-related, your claim will be at risk of being rejected. That’s why, if the exposure happened a long time ago, it’s still very important to be prompt with your intervention right after the diagnosis.
What to Do If You Think You May Have Hearing Loss at Work
If you think the hearing problem that you experience may be work-related, the very first thing to do is a professional hearing test. Check if the results indicate that the hearing loss is due to long exposure to noise, and whether the work history could have been a factor.
It is also great to have a record of your work history. A claim becomes more convincing with data on workplace noise, employment dates, and job descriptions. Even if there are no records, you can still rely on your memories and the doctor’s advice.
It is very important to report the illness as soon as you find that it may be caused by your job. In case the exposure happened a long time ago, the eligibility for the benefit may still be influenced by the time elapsed between the discovery and the reporting.
Navigating Workers’ Compensation for Hearing Loss: A Step-by-Step Guide for Wisconsin Employees
Years Later, You Can Still Be Entitled to Workers’ Compensation
Usually, hearing loss is recognized as a condition that develops quite a long time after an individual has been in a noisy environment. To this effect, workers’ compensation laws as well as medical science recognize the delayed damage that industrial noise causes. The fact that the symptoms take a long time to show does not mean that the rights vanish.
If your hearing loss has become a major burden and you think that your job may have caused it, it is definitely worth finding out what your options are. It can make a huge difference knowing your rights and taking action as soon as you get your diagnosis. Your work history may still be of importance even years later, and you may still be able to get workers’ compensation to help you.