When it comes to on the job hearing loss, you may wonder if you can receive worker’s compensation benefits. While you should be eligible for some benefits, hearing loss cases faces some challenges that you may want to discuss with your attorney. So here’s some common hearing loss challenges you may have to confront in your worker’s comp case.
Hearing Loss Challenges: Issues With Your Case
Evaluating Your Hearing Loss
When it comes to testing for hearing loss, doctors have the option of several different tests. In some cases, they may use a general screening, a tuning fork evaluation or audiometer tests. They most likely will use whatever test they feel best suits your type and degree of hearing loss. One of the biggest hearing loss challenges you may face is disagreeing with your insurer’s doctor about his diagnosis. While your hearing loss may feel drastic, his results may consider it mild.
Connecting the Loss to Your Job
Another one of the highly common hearing loss challenges is connecting your loss to your job. In many cases, insurers will try to dismiss you hearing loss as something that occurred naturally. They may blame it on outside factors, aging, or something that slowly took place. But just because you lost your hearing gradually, instead of in an accident, doesn’t mean it isn’t the result of work. In many cases, conditions at your job can cause the slow loss of hearing. This often comes from regular exposure to loud or high pitched noises. However, proving that your work environment lead to decreased hearing is one of the hearing loss challenges for your attorney.
How it Effects Your Job Performance
In many cases, insurers will argue that your hearing loss doesn’t hinder your ability to work, nor your wages. So demonstrating that in can effect both becomes one of the great hearing loss challenges. Depending on your case, your hearing loss may keep you from being able to perform a job correctly and safely. Therefore, you may lose some of your wages. In addition, you may need to switch jobs which can result in less pay or reduced wages.
In short, there can be a lot of complications that come with a hearing loss case. But just because there are hearing loss challenges in your worker’s comp case, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve benefits.