Glendale Hearing Loss Work Injury Lawyer
Many individuals take their hearing senses for granted. You count on the ability to hear everything that is going on around you. If you were to lose your hearing, it could impact your life profoundly, causing you to have to adjust how you interact with those in your life.
If you’ve lost your ability to hear because of a work-related injury in Glendale, you may be able to receive compensation for this loss. Reach out to an experienced Glendale hearing loss work injury lawyer at KCNS Law Group to learn what your legal options are in this case.
Causes of Work-Related Hearing Loss in California
Work-related accidents and hearing loss injuries are more common than people think they are. To put it simply, many different industries have hazards that can result in permanent sensory damage. It’s important that you learn the different hazards in the workplace that can lead to hearing loss so you can stay safe. A few include:
1. Workplaces That Expose You to High Noise Levels
One particularly bad situation you can encounter as an employee is working in an occupation that constantly exposes you to high noise volumes. These noises, which can include loud explosions, heavy machinery, and more, can have an adverse effect on your hearing, sometimes resulting in you losing your hearing temporarily.
However, the longer you’re exposed to this high level of noise without the appropriate safety gear, the more damaging this noise can be. In certain situations that involve loud noises, it can even lead to permanent hearing loss.
2. Impact on Your Head or Ear
Head or eardrum damage can end up being substantially damaging when your hearing is involved. If you rupture an eardrum, it can end up causing permanent hearing loss immediately upon impact. The eardrum or head trauma can occur due to things like:
- Impact from an explosion
- Another person’s negligence
- Tripping, slipping, or falling
- Falling and hitting your head from heights
It’s essential that you speak with a qualified hearing loss work injury attorney right away if you’ve suffered any type of hearing loss because of a workplace accident.
3. Aging
As you age, you become more vulnerable to issues with your health. This includes your sensory abilities. When you’re an employee of age, you might need to ask your employer or manager to move your position so you’re not being exposed to high noise volumes. You can wind up with the above-listed problems that cause hearing loss if they don’t move you. Even if you’re already experiencing hearing issues because of your age, it’s still important that you request a transfer from loud-noise environments to protect your hearing abilities.
Signs of Hearing Loss Caused by a Work Accident
When a workplace accident or negligence causes you to lose your hearing, there are potential signs you should recognize. Sometimes, you might not hear anything at all. Other times, you might experience some ringing in your ear. This depends on the type of damage and what occurred that caused the injury. Sadly, the symptoms frequently showing hearing loss can affect your ability to work and/or enjoy things you once enjoyed before the accident. Symptoms of hearing loss may include:
- Hearing a loud roaring sound in your ears or head and nothing else
- Experiencing tinnitus (ringing noise in your ears)
- Hearing a buzzing in your ears that muffles other sounds
- Experiencing audible hearing where other people talking to you are heard at a lower volume or drowned out
- Hearing other noises differently than you did before, some possibly louder or quieter
When you’re at work, you don’t want to believe that you could potentially experience an accident where you’ll lose your hearing. But, it can happen. Certain industries put you at a greater risk. A Glendale hearing loss work injury attorney can help you understand how a hearing loss injury can occur on the job and what your legal rights are in moving forward and pursuing compensation. However, if you don’t hire an experienced attorney, you might not even realize that you’re entitled to compensation.
Do You Have a Hearing Loss Work Injury Claim in Glendale?
Often, hearing loss winds up being a permanent injury. If your hearing has been compromised because of repeated machinery noise exposure, a loud explosion, or another workplace noise, you may be entitled to compensation. You may also be entitled to lifelong medical care coverage related to your workplace injuries if your claim is approved. This includes hearing loss.
But, for you to be eligible for a workplace hearing loss compensation claim, you must prove that your loss of hearing was due to a current or former employer’s negligence. Your first step is to obtain an audiologist’s medical assessment who will diagnose the hearing loss.
If the workers’ compensation insurance company doesn’t acknowledge that your loss of hearing was due to work activities, then your workers’ compensation hearing loss claim may be challenging. This is why it’s important that you have a knowledgeable and experienced workers’ compensation attorney on your side for your hearing loss work injury claim. They’ll go right to work to represent you vigorously. Otherwise, your work-related hearing loss claim may prove to be an uphill battle without the help of an experienced attorney.
Workers’ Comp or Hearing Loss Lawsuit?
In the state of California, injured employees have the legal right to file a workers’ comp benefits claim to pursue compensation for their losses. This legal right also extends to employees who have conditions that have developed over time, such as many cases of hearing damage. If you’ve suffered hearing loss or an ear injury while at the workplace, you’re entitled to file a workers’ comp claim and receive financial benefits without having to prove another party’s liability or negligence. Workers’ comp offers benefits for losses like:
- Lost wages
- Medical bills
- Disability costs
However, you’ll want to wait on accepting a workers’ comp settlement, if you believe another person’s negligence caused your hearing loss. A claim that involves another person’s fault for your hearing loss or ear injury can provide you with the grounds for filing a personal injury lawsuit. Even though you’ll need to prove the negligence of the defendant to win the lawsuit, it can offer better results than a simple Glendale workers’ compensation claim. You may even be able to receive compensation for both a workers’ comp and personal injury claim. To know this for sure, you’ll want to consult with a qualified hearing loss work injury attorney.
Contact a Glendale Hearing Loss Work Injury Lawyer Today
If you suffered a workplace accident-related hearing loss injury, know that our Glendale, CA work injury attorneys are standing by to provide you with legal representation. We are highly knowledgeable on all California laws concerning workers’ compensation benefits claims and/or personal injury claims and we’ll do our due diligence to build you a strong case.
Hearing loss can impact your life permanently. From having to buy costly hearing aids to feeling completely isolated from your family and friends, hearing loss has a direct effect on many aspects of your day-to-day life. Call KCNS today at (818) 937-9255 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation to sit down and discuss your hearing loss work injury case and what your legal options are.
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