One of the top workplace injuries suffered in the United States may come as a surprise. While many people do not realize it, CNN reported recently that hearing loss is actually the most common workplace injury suffered in the United States. Hearing loss is a risk across many different industries, and it can have serious consequences for workers who experience lasting damage.
Problems like hearing and vision loss can occur over time, rather than as a result of a single workplace accident. When injuries or illnesses develop over time, workers may still be entitled to benefits. A New York workers’ compensation law firm can help workers to determine if they can make a claim for benefits based on hearing loss or other harm they have experienced at work.
Workplace Hearing Loss a Leading Cause of Injury
According to CNN, approximately 22 million workers throughout the United States are exposed to hazardous levels of occupational noise within the workplace. The workers at the biggest risk are those in mining, in construction, and in manufacturing. However, workers in many other professions could be affected as well. So many workers are harmed by hearing loss that hearing loss is actually classified as the most common work related injury in the United States. In total, around $242 million each year is spent on workers’ compensation to provide appropriate benefits for all of the workers who are disabled as a result of hearing loss.
The Labor Department is trying to reduce the extent of hearing loss damage, and has announced it is soliciting pitches to find ways to help prevent hearing loss through new technological innovations. Critics, however, suggest that new technologies are unlikely to solve the problem because regulations on noise exposure are insufficient. If true, this can have tragic consequences for workers.
Hearing loss caused by exposure to noise at work does not just make it harder to hear. CNN told the story of one 55-year-old construction worker who experienced hearing loss as a result of 32 years in the construction industry. After he began to notice pressure in his ears, things became progressively worse. Now, sounds can cause a “piercing, jabbing pain in his inner ear.” Sounds that make him uncomfortable range from lawnmowers to routine conversations.
The unbearable pain caused him to stop working, and his condition is considered debilitating. He is taking medication, which has not helped him to recover, and he mostly spends his days in his soundproof basement because he cannot handle the pain or the other symptoms he experiences, such as ringing in his ears and dizziness that result from the auditory damage. The medication, which includes anxiety and depression medication, reportedly only makes him feel even more isolated.
This construction worker is not alone. Many others experience similar side effects and deserve the best treatments and benefits possible if this happens. Whether you experienced hearing loss or one of many other injuries sustained over time on-the-job, it is important to be able to prove your injuries were actually caused by your job. Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff can help you demonstrate that your injuries happened due to work duties. Call as soon as possible for assistance when diagnosed with a work-related health issue.
