The number of people claiming that they have industrial deafness has risen by two thirds over two years, with some experts saying that fraudulent claims mean that it is becoming the new whiplash. In fact, only one in ten claims are being paid out and insurance companies have said that the vast majority of claims are fraudulent, although they still account for the majority of workplace related illnesses and injuries for some major actuaries including AXA Insurance, who said that the problem cost them £26m in 2012.
Industrial deafness is most commonly caused by ongoing exposure to loud noise, and a failure by companies to provide adequate ear protection. The constant loud noise can lead to workers losing some or all of their hearing, and this is considered a major injury to sustain. As such, compensation claims can be considerable, but there is growing concern that it is being viewed as an easy claim to defraud.
Whiplash claims have come under fire over the past couple of years, with the government attempting to quell the number of fraudulent claims. Whiplash, however, is very difficult to prove or disprove, whereas there are objective tests which can be applied in order to determine whether a person is suffering from deafness, whether it will be temporary or permanent, and the severity of the problem.
Current health and safety procedures help to ensure that workers are properly protected against things like industrial deafness. Workers that are exposed to loud noises are required to wear appropriate protection, including ear plugs or headphones. Noise levels must be measured, and even where the wearing of ear protection is not a legal requirement, health and safety regulations dictate that protection should be provided. A result of these improved regulations mean that most claims date back several years to a time when the rules were not so tight.
Deafness comes to many people naturally as they age, but experts have said that hearing professionals and doctors should be able to ascertain whether deafness has been caused by industrial injury, or whether it is down to the natural progression of aging.