The Industrial Disease team at Oliver & Co Solicitors successfully recovered a six figure settlement on behalf of a former member of the British Army who suffered hearing loss and tinnitus. This was caused as a result of being harmfully exposed to significant levels of noise from military weapons and vehicles. The claim was settled without the need for court judgment and has made a huge difference to our client financially, allowing him to purchase the aids needed, and pursue an alternative career.
His dream career
A few years after leaving education, Mr C was enlisted into the Army, following the footsteps of his grandfathers, uncle and brother. This was a career that Mr C had dreamt of and desired from an early age so was pleased to have been successful in his application. When joining at the age of 20, he had well-preserved hearing.
Mr C began his career in the Army at Cambridgeshire where he completed the basic Army training including how to use a rifle. He then moved on to Phase 2 training where he developed his range with larger guns and was taught how to advance on enemy targets.
Machine guns, rifles, grenades and cannons
Mr C was then posted to Canada, Spain, Ukraine and Poland to carry out further training exercises and to learn new skills from allies in close quarter combat and urban combat. He recalled doing these exercises on foot and using vehicles so that they could acclimatise to the conditions. Mr C used 50cal machine guns, GMPG guns, rifles, grenades and large cannons. He explained that the noise from the weapons was incredible; his ears would ring straight away, and this would last sometimes for minutes.
A role that Mr C then adopted was that of a gunner. He would be seated behind the breech with the guns based in front and a machine gun mounted on a tripod. Mr C would operate the handles for trigger bolt action and recalls the noise being extremely loud. For context, this machinery was used by planes in air assaults! Mr C would also carry out training exercises with grenades and mortars and would be exposed to loud bangs when the explosions went off. Mortars and grenades were used to injury the enemy and he compared the noise to a rocket launch.
Lack of adequate hearing protection
During Mr C’s fruitful 7 year long career in the Army, he would often be without hearing protection; especially during live firing exercises. On occasion, protection was provided but it was inadequate, and Mr C would still need to take it off to hear the orders and instructions around him. To combat this, ‘personal role radios’ were provided which covered one ear and had a mouthpiece that Mr C could use to communicate with colleagues. However, this meant that the other ear was completely exposed to the noise.
Sadly, the consequences of this were noticed my Mr C in 2016 when he developed tinnitus in both ears and was suffering from intense pain. He was forced to leave the career that he loved and was unable to gain the promotion he truly desired. As Mr C explained to the team, he ‘was not looked after during his career in the Army’.
How can we help you?
Unfortunately, Mr C is not alone in having to deal with the impacts of significant hearing loss that could have been avoided had the Ministry of Defence taken the appropriate steps in protecting him from injury.
If this is something that resonates with an experience you have had and you would like some advice about pursing a claim, our Industrial Disease team are here to help.
Our specialist team of solicitors will fight for the compensation that you deserve. Our team understands that it can be a very difficult and daunting time for you, and they will do their best to offer an unparalleled support network and specialist legal expertise. When fighting for your compensation we take into account any time you may have had to take off work, any treatment you have had to pay for including the cost of hearing aids and any other losses that you may have incurred.
All of our claims are dealt with on a no win, no fee basis.
Call 01244 312306 to speak to a member of our specialist team of Industrial Disease solicitors who will assist you further with this matter.
