Our attorneys have been assisting the Orange County and Southern California communities for over 40 years.
When most people hear about work-related injuries, they imagine injuries such as broken bones or pulled muscles from a one-time accident. They often forget many occupational injuries and illnesses can arise over time after spending years in a dangerous work environment. Hearing loss is an example of an injury that could arise from a single work-related accident, such as an explosion, or slowly over time from exposure to hazardous noise levels on the job.
If you or a loved one has work-related hearing loss, contact the Orange County attorneys at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo for a free legal consultation. We may be able to help you file a workers’ compensation claim or ear injury lawsuit in pursuit of fair compensation for your losses. Your employer, a product manufacturer, or another party may owe you compensation. Call (714) 783-2205 today.
Hearing loss affects millions of people in the U.S. It is one of the most common disabilities. As an employee, your employer has a responsibility to try to prevent hearing loss through measures such as providing noise-canceling equipment. Your employer must provide a reasonably safe work environment that does not expose you to an undue risk of ear injuries, hearing damage, or hearing loss. Unfortunately, many employers fail to prevent some of the most common causes of occupational hearing loss.
California state law prohibits employers from exposing workers to sounds over 140 decibels. At lesser decibels, employers must limit the length of worker exposure. For example, the maximum exposure time for a decibel level of 90 is 8 hours per day. If an employer negligently or intentionally breaks state laws or otherwise causes an employee’s hearing loss, the company may be liable for damages.
In California, injured workers have the right to bring workers’ compensation claims to pursue money damages for their losses. This right extends to workers with conditions that developed over time, like many cases of hearing damage. If you have an ear injury and/or hearing loss from your job, you may file a workers’ compensation claim and receive benefits without proving anyone’s negligence or liability. Workers’ compensation could provide benefits for losses such as medical bills, two-thirds of your lost wages and disability costs.
Wait to accept a workers’ compensation settlement, however, if you suspect someone else’s negligence contributed to your hearing loss. A claim involving someone else’s fault for your ear injury could give you grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit. While winning a lawsuit will take proving the defendant’s negligence, it could provide better results than an Orange County workers’ compensation claim. You could be eligible for compensation through both types of claims. Ask our lawyers about your legal options before accepting a settlement from your employer’s insurance provider.
Hearing loss can permanently affect you. From purchasing expensive hearing aids to feeling isolated from your loved ones, hearing loss can have an impact on many aspects of your daily life. At DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo, we help workers in Orange County pursue justice and compensation for their job-related hearing damage. Discuss what your case might be worth, as well as your legal options, with our lawyers today. Call (714) 783-2205 or request a meeting online now.
