Hearing Loss
Many work environments are noisy and have the potential to cause hearing loss. Employers are required to provide hearing protection equipment and monitor the decibel level, but there continue to be thousands of hearing loss workers’ compensation claims filed each year. If you have experienced hearing loss due to your work duties, RP Law Group can help you file and defend a claim and receive the benefits to which you are entitled.
California Occupational Noise Exposure Laws
Under California state law, employees are not to be exposed to sounds that exceed 140-decibel peak sound pressure levels. Furthermore, there is a sliding scale of how long an employee can be exposed to different decibel levels. For example, an employee can only be exposed to 125 dB level for 15 minutes per day. The law allows exposure to 90 decibels or lower for up to eight hours per day.
Evaluating Occupational Hearing Loss
Did you know there are different types of hearing loss that can be caused by loud noise exposure? There are, and a qualified physician will test for them when they assess your impairment before filing a workers’ compensation claim. For example, you may hear volume well, but experience damage that makes it difficult to distinguish between different consonants.
Additionally, your hearing levels may differ from one ear to the other. It is possible to suffer 100% hearing loss in one ear and only 20% hearing loss in the other. If this is the case, you may collect compensation for both ears in amounts proportional to the severity of the damage in each.
Providing Professional Guidance
If you experience pain in your ankle or foot while performing your job functions, you owe it to yourself to seek medical attention as soon as negative symptoms present themselves. If the injury requires immediate care, your employer is legally obligated to compensate up to $10,000 in emergency healthcare measures.
After you’ve sought initial medical care, you must report your injury to your employer if you haven’t already. Failure to do so within 30 days of the accident could jeopardize your chances of collecting maximum compensation from your company.
If you are unsure of how to proceed or fear an uncooperative response from your employer, contact RP Law Group right away. We’ll guide you through the entire process and protect you from unlawful retaliation.
Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any specific individual case or situation. This website information is not intended to create, and the receipt or viewing of this website information does not constitute an attorney-client relationship. All rights reserved to RP Law Group.
