If you’ve had an accident at work that’s caused a hearing injury, you might be tempted to ignore the problem and hope it goes away. Hearing loss is actually the most common workplace injury in the US, with more than 22 million Americans being exposed to dangerous levels of noise every year. Here is some advice about why you shouldn’t do when you’ve experienced hearing loss due to a workplace accident, and what you should be doing instead.
Don’t ignore the symptoms.
If you think you might be starting to show signs of hearing loss, get checked out soon. Symptoms might include ringing or buzzing in your ears, loss of hearing in one or both of your ears, dizziness, or unusual migraines and headaches. If you notice any of these health problems, they could be early symptoms of tinnitus or another medical condition to do with your ears. You should seek medical treatment immediately, for your own best interests. Going to see a doctor now can save you extra medical bills further down the line.
Get the necessary treatment.
Once your doctor has identified the problem, make sure you get the right treatment. Tinnitus 911, as one example, has helped many people struggling with tinnitus. Tinnitus 911 soothes the entire nervous system and the right dosage can help relieve symptoms of tinnitus. Always discuss treatment with your doctor before trying something new.
You should also consult with your doctor to try and identify the cause of your injury. If it’s a work injury, like being exposed to too much noise, then this is something that needs to be addressed soon to prevent any future ongoing issues.
Contact legal aid.
If your medical doctor suggests that your illness is due to a workplace injury, then it’s time to get a free initial consultation from a workers’ compensation lawyer. According to this workers compensation lawyer Raleigh NC, the Bishop Law Firm, injured employees can often get medical compensation and wage loss benefits when they have a non-fatal work-related injury. Compensation law is there to protect and reimburse you in these instances, so it’s wise to have a consultation early on to see if they can help. You shouldn’t have to accept an occupational condition as a result of a workplace accident. Everyone’s compensation will vary according to the outcome of a particular case for certain injured employees, but it could be life-changing for you, so it’s always worth looking into.
Get compensation or adjustments.
Once you have legal advice to back you up, it’s time to go back to your employer and see the results. You will likely be able to get compensation, medical expenses reimbursement, or something similar, often depending on your employer’s insurance company and their policy.
This is also the time to ask for certain adjustments to be made. If there is an ongoing cause for hearing injury or damage, you and your coworkers can ask for the correct PPE (personal protective equipment) or changes to the workplace to be made to better protect the employees. Similarly, if you have injuries from work that are making it difficult to do your job, use your legal backing to get the proper adjustments made for you.
Never think that you have to accept poor working conditions just because that’s how it has always been. If you think that you deserve compensation or that things need to be changed, then be sure to have your say, when backed with correct medical and legal advice. Employers have a duty of care for their employees, so don’t shy away from making sure they stick to it.
