Tinnitus Claims: Can I Make One?
Tinnitus can make normal daily life hugely challenging.
Often caused by working environments, it’s a hearing condition that means you hear noises others can’t.
In some cases, you could be awarded compensation after developing tinnitus. Here is our guide to tinnitus claims and whether you could make one.
What is tinnitus?
The NHS defines tinnitus as “hearing noises that are not caused by sounds coming from the outside world”.
You could experience tinnitus differently to someone else. Your tinnitus could sound like buzzing, humming, hissing, ringing, pulsing, throbbing, whooshing or even music.
With tinnitus, you could hear these sounds in one or both ears. You could also hear it in your head rather than your ears.
It could be something you hear all the time or it could come and go – often for no apparent reason.
Tinnitus can be caused by hearing loss, which itself can be caused by exposure to loud noises.
When you can make a tinnitus claim
To make a claim for tinnitus compensation, you’ll need to show that someone else caused you to develop the condition.
When your ear injury is caused by your work, tinnitus claims are typically made against your employer. That’s because they should have protected you.
This protection could take the form of providing hearing protection, limiting exposure to loud noises, implementing noise-control equipment or carrying out health checks for employees at risk of hearing damage or tinnitus.
If your work has led to you developing tinnitus, your employer will usually be liable.
Some common industries responsible for causing tinnitus include:
- Call centres
- Construction
- Highway maintenance
- Manufacturing
- Military
- Music and entertainment
Time limits for tinnitus claims
Most personal injury claims have a deadline of three years of the accident or injury happening – but it can be difficult to do so with many industrial disease claims.
That’s because you may have only developed the condition recently or you may have just found out that it was your work that caused it. There can be exceptions to the deadline with work-related illness claims.
But it’s important to remember that tinnitus claims have to be submitted within three years of the date of your diagnosis.
If you’re not sure whether you still have time, the best thing to do is talk to an expert who can help you work out if you have a valid claim.
Why should you make a tinnitus claim?
In many cases, tinnitus can’t be cured. That means it’s a condition you have to live with for the rest of your life. That could cause real disruption for you.
If your tinnitus was caused by someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to make a compensation claim. That compensation could help you cover the costs of treatment for your tinnitus, which could make living with the condition less stressful.
Our tinnitus claim solicitors will typically help you get the treatment that could help with your condition.
The NHS suggests that counselling or therapy could be helpful for learning to live with tinnitus. You may need to pay for private sessions. Any compensation you’re awarded would help you do that.
Use our tinnitus compensation calculator to find out how much you could be entitled to.
To find out if you could make a No Win No Fee claim and how First4Lawyers could help you do that, just get in touch. Give us a call or start your claim online and we’ll take it from there.
Tinnitus doesn’t have to be something you just put up with it.
Helpful Links:
Employers’ Responsibilities Around Noise at Work
What percentage do No Win No Fee solicitors take?
Our No Win No Fee solicitors will take a success fee from the compensation you are awarded for a successful claim in the form of a percentage of your damages. This could be up to 25% but it won't be more than that, except in cases of road traffic accidents. Changing laws mean our solicitors will now take a payment of 30% of the final compensation amount plus VAT for all road traffic accident claims.
What happens if I lose my No Win No Fee claim?
If you lose your claim, you won’t be awarded any compensation. But you won’t have to pay your solicitor’s legal fee, which means there is no financial risk to you.
If you win, you will be awarded compensation for your injury or illness. Your solicitor will take a success fee from the final amount.
How does No Win No Fee work in Scotland?
In Scotland, the rules around No Win No Fee differ to those in England and Wales. You can still make a No Win No Fee claim for personal injuries, such as accidents at work, road traffic accidents, slips or falls and industrial disease.
But medical negligence is not covered by No Win No Fee. You are still able to make a medical negligence claim for compensation, but your lawyer won’t offer No Win No Fee to do so.
For more information on how No Win No Fee works in Scotland, feel free to give us a call or visit our No Win No Fee Scotland page.
How does No Win No Fee work in Northern Ireland?
No Win No Fee is not applicable in Northern Ireland. You can still make compensation claims, but you won’t be able to do so on a No Win No Fee basis.
How can I find a No Win No Fee solicitor near me?
To be matched to a No Win No Fee solicitor, just get in touch with the friendly team at First4Lawyers. We’ll discuss your situation for free and with no obligation to proceed.
If you have a claim, we’ll introduce you to one of our specialist lawyers, who will take over the management of your case.
Is there a catch to No Win No Fee?
No. There is no catch to No Win No Fee. These agreements were introduced to ensure that everyone can get the justice and compensation they are legally entitled to.
If your claim is successful, you will pay your solicitor a success fee. If you are not successful, you don’t pay your lawyer. It’s that simple.
Your lawyer will make sure you know all the details and potential fees for making a No Win No Fee claim so there will be no surprise costs. You’ll have all the details before you decide to go ahead.
How likely am I to win my No Win No Fee claim?
The success of your claim depends on your specific circumstances. To find out whether you have a claim, just get in touch. Our claims advisors will discuss the details of your case with you and assess how likely you are to succeed.
