What is Military Deafness and what are the signs?

Military deafness claims may be made by armed forces personnel against The Ministry of Defence (MoD) if they believe that their hearing loss was caused by exposure to high levels of noise whilst in service.

The MOD oversees more than 150,000 personnel across the Army, Air Force, Navy and civilian roles. This makes it one of the UK’s largest employers.

Due to the nature of the work, MOD members are unfortunately often exposed to high noise levels during firing exercises and drills. All of which have potential to damage hearing.

Service members (past or present) who have suffered from hearing loss and/or tinnitus due to their time in service could be eligible to claim compensation for this.

The Royal British Legion believes that around 300,000 ex-armed forces personnel are living with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and/or tinnitus.

In order to make a claim, certain criteria must be met, including providing a detailed account of your time in service as well as the appropriate medical evidence which verify your losses. Military deafness is usually categorised under industrial disease due to noisy working environment.

Can I make a claim for Military deafness?

If you have worked for the MOD at any time after May of 1987 and believe your hearing has been affected as a result of your role, then you may be able to claim.

If you would like to make a claim, we will will need to explore the circumstances of your employment and the amount of noise exposure you have endured in order to review your claim.

We will also arrange for you to undergo a quick and simple hearing test which will determine to what extent your hearing has been impacted.

What are the signs of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)?

The most common signs of hearing loss are:

Difficulty hearing with the presence of background noise.
Difficulty following conversations.
Having to ask people to repeat themselves.
Missing sounds, such as birdsong.
having to increase the volume of the TV.
Friends or family commenting about your inability to hear properly.

You might also be suffering from tinnitus. This is most commonly described as a ringing or buzzing in your ears. Tinnitus can be continuous or intermittent, but may be a sign that your hearing has been damaged by noise.

The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS)

The MoD also runs a dedicated scheme to compensate personnel regardless of fault. This scheme is based on assessment.

The AFCS scheme exists to compensate individuals for any injuries that may have occurred whilst in service, including loss of hearing. However, claims must be made within seven years of the injury.

The MOD awards a decision based on its own consideration of circumstances and your injury, unlike through civil means. It is then decided as to what amount will be awarded for compensation for said injuries.

However, the compensation range can vary and will often be a nominal amount compared to what can be gained through civil proceedings.

Using the expertise of a solicitor is the only way you can ensure that the maximum compensation for both injuries and others losses has been achieved.

There is also no reason why you cannot bring a claim through the civil process and through the AFCS. An award made through the AFCS may simply be reduced from other compensation awarded in due course.