Do you suffer from hearing loss due to military service? You may be due compensation.
However, hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears) are not inevitable consequences of military life. Like any employer, the MoD has a duty of care to safeguard you from the risk of hearing damage – for example, by providing adequate ear protection against noise from:
- gun and artillery fire
- mortars
- explosions
- pyrotechnics
- aircraft noise
- vehicle engine noise
You’re not alone
An estimated 300,000* ex-armed forces personnel in the UK suffer from noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and tinnitus. What’s more, if your hearing problems are due to long-term exposure to excessive noise while in service, you might be entitled to compensation. If you think your hearing’s suffered, you may have a case – even if you’ve previously been told you have no hearing problems or been turned down for a payment under the AFCS or War Pension schemes. Both these no-fault schemes have very strict criteria, usually resulting in smaller compensation payments.
*Source: The Royal British Legion, Lost Voices’ report (2014)
You don’t have to suffer in silence
NIHL and tinnitus caused by military equipment can be debilitating, affecting all aspects of life – yet they are avoidable. In military circles, people have known about them for decades, but many sufferers prefer to remain silent, often out of loyalty towards their regiment or the MoD. Or perhaps they feel responsible, as it was their choice to enlist. Or maybe they don’t want to admit to suffering from hearing loss.
