Frequently Asked Workplace Hearing Loss Questions - NSW

We are here to help, if you have any questions that aren’t addressed below, do not
hesitate to contact us and ask one of our friendly team members.

a farm worker driving a small tractor wears ear muffs to protect his hearing and prevent hearing loss
carpenter craftsman in carpentry shop use circular saws to cut wood board to make furniture
truck on the main road
airport worker in sunglasses and headphones
senior carpenter man wears a dust mask and noise proof headphones
retired old happy male woodworker smiling

Workplace Hearing Loss works through a compensation and claim model. We provide service including a preliminary investigation of your potential claim for hearing loss at no cost to you. Once we determine that your case has merits, we will make an application for funding to the Independent Review Office (IRO) to enable us to investigate and pursue your compensation claim under the ILARS Industrial Deafness (Hearing Loss) Claims Practice Guide.

You will not be liable to pay us directly any fees for our service, in any event, concerning our work performed in conducting a preliminary investigation and pursuing your claim.  Please note that our lawyer is approved by the IRO and can make an application to the Independent Review Office (IRO) to pay for our legal costs and other reasonable disbursements including the medical report fees incurred to investigate your claim. Please note that the grants of funding are only available to lawyers who are approved by IRO.

If you are classified as an exempt worker; police officers, firefighters, paramedics, coal miners and some emergency service workers, you are entitled to your legal costs paid by the employer/insurer in the event of a successful resolution of a claim.

We are able to seek IRO  funding to investigate and pursue:

1. A claim for the cost of supply and fitting of hearing aids;

2. A claim for lump sum compensation for permanent impairment resulting from hearing loss.

If you have previously worked in a noisy job and struggle with your hearing, or if experience ringing in your ears, you may be suffering from workplace hearing loss. We are happy to evaluate your potential claim at no cost to you, so please feel free to contact us and check your eligibility.

We are a team with years of experience in the claim process for workplace hearing loss. We will be able to evaluate your work history and organise a hearing test with an audiologist to assess your hearing loss and provide an opinion on whether you would be assisted by the provision of hearing aids.  

There is no legal threshold requirement in order to claim for hearing aids.

If you ceased working in a noisy employment prior to 1 January 2002. (deemed date of injury)  you have a right to claim a lump sum compensation if your compensable hearing loss is 6% binaural hearing loss (bhl)  or more.   

Your lump sum compensation entitlement is prescribed under the Table of disabilities and your compensation entitlement is between $520 and a maximum amount of  $650 per 1 % bhl.

If you ceased employment in noisy employment after 1 January 2002 (deemed date of injury), you have a right to claim lump sum compensation if your compensable hearing loss is over 20.4%.  However, if you are an exempt worker, you can claim a lump sum compensation if your compensable hearing loss is 6 %(bhl) irrespective of your deemed date of injury.  

Your lump sum compensation entitlement amount is prescribed under the legislation based on the date of your last day of noisy employment and the amount of your compensable hearing loss as assessed by an accredited impairment assessor.  The amount ranges between about $ 520 and $ 1000 per 1 % bhl.

On average a workplace hearing loss claim can take between 6 to 12 months to resolve. For claims for hearing aids, the time frame will be generally much less. This time frame is for guidance purposes only and the actual time frame depends on the circumstances of each individual case.

Even if the exposure to excessive noise levels may have taken place many years ago, you could still be eligible to claim. It should also not matter if you have worked for several employers, some of which may no longer be in business.

If you don’t have easy access to transportation, you can start by taking our online hearing test. One of our team members will then reach out to discuss the next steps with you.

Check Eligibility

Are you experiencing symptoms of hearing loss due to your work environment? Find out now by filling out our quick eligibility check.

Check Eligibility

If you know someone who has difficulty hearing, possibly due to working in a noisy environment, they may be eligible for lump sum compensation or free hearing care. Please fill in their details below, and one of our team members will reach out to discuss their eligibility.