Thousands more ex-servicemen and women, who have experienced hearing loss related to their time in armed forces will receive compensation for their condition.
It is no surprise that military personnel are often exposed to loud noises throughout their military career. Regular exposure to loud noise has long been attributed to permanent hearing loss and is one of the main reasons for the requirement of personal protective equipment (PPE) in loud work places, such as factories, nightclubs and construction sites.
The Ministry of Defence has long opposed many claims, arguing that other sources of noise were to blame, that personnel should have worn protection or that their claims were too late. Many ex-service members allege that the hearing protection they were provided was either not adequate, or could not be used for operational reasons.
Noise induced hearing-loss is one of the reasons that many ex-service members were discharged from the military, but the Ministry of Defence have insisted that the hearing loss itself was not caused by the nature of the work that these ex-service members carried out.
This change of position is important to thousands of people suffering from hearing loss, which has negatively impacted both their professional and personal lives.
We hope that these individuals receive the financial and practical support that will help them enjoy a higher quality of life, despite the loss of hearing they have experienced.
