Lost Your Hearing as a Result of Your Job? Here’s What You Need to Know about Job-Related Hearing Loss and Decatur Workers’ Compensation Claims
There are many different types of workplace hazards that are ever-present in the lives of Decatur workers. From factory workers who must tackle obstacles such as heavy machinery, fast paced work, and extreme temperatures, to retail workers who often encounter falling objects, slippery and uneven floors, and even violent customers, to transportation workers who must jump in and out of high semi-truck driver-side seats, lift and move extremely heavy cargo, and battle the roads, workers in Decatur face challenges every day that might impact their health and their ability to earn a livelihood. Fortunately, for most American workers, and for most workers in Decatur, a workplace injury does not have to mean complete financial destitution. Indeed, state programs, such as the Georgia workers’ compensation program in Decatur, entitle most workers who were injured on the job to important benefits, such as medical expense reimbursement, disability payments, wage replacement benefits, vocational training and more.
However, while many workplace injuries result from a one-time catastrophic workplace accident, such as trauma from a heavy falling object, a burn from exposure to scalding water, or a fracture from slip and fall, some workplace injuries can be less apparent and can affect a workers’ critical senses. Hearing loss is one of those injuries, and it can affect workers in a variety of industries. Hearing loss can be extremely disabling and is one condition that may entitle a worker to workers’ compensation. However, not all hearing-loss conditions or hearing impairments are covered under Georgia workers’ compensation laws. Here is what you need to know:
Types of Hearing Loss Injuries Not Covered Under Georgia Workers’ Compensation Laws
As a general principle, workers’ compensation benefits are intended to cover workers who have been injured in the course of their work. Therefore, if an injury is not work-related, but rather is related to some other cause, it may not be covered in Decatur under Georgia workers’ compensation laws. This applies to certain hearing-loss conditions and hearing impairments. In Decatur, while work-related hearing loss caused by harmful noise may be covered under Georgia workers’ compensation laws, some hearing loss disabilities and conditions are not covered. These conditions include tinnitus, injuries related to earwax buildup, hearing loss as a result of natural aging, psychogenic hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, and otosclerosis.
What to do if You Suffer from a Hearing Loss Injury at Work in Decatur
If you were injured at work in Decatur and you are interested in claiming workers’ compensation benefits for hearing loss or another disabling injury, your best course of action is to first speak with an experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyer. An experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyer can review your unique case and advise you as to your options and next steps. The experienced Decatur workers’ compensation lawyers at the O’Connell Law Firm offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your workplace injury and to see if they can help. Contact the O’Connell Law Firm today and speak to a lawyer about your case for free.
