July 10, 2014

Continuing from where we left off in Hearing Loss and Workers’ Compensation Claims (Pt. 1), here we will pick up our discussion of on-the-job hearing loss and workers’ compensation claims for this permanent impairment.

After hearing damage or any workplace injury, we want you to know that you can trust Denver Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Jennifer Bisset to help you obtain the full amount of benefits to which you are entitled.

Calculating Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Hearing Loss Claims

For hearing loss, Colorado law stipulates the following values as the maximum possible number of weeks available for benefit payments:

  • 139 weeks for total hearing loss in both ears
  • 35 weeks for total hearing loss in one ear
  • 139 weeks for total hearing loss in one ear when a person was already living with total hearing loss in his other ear.

The workers’ compensation benefit cap for 2013 to 2014 is $275.10 per week for scheduled impairments (like hearing loss). This means that, if a person sustains 100% hearing loss in one ear with his hearing in the other ear being unaffected, then his benefits will be calculated as follows:

  • 35 weeks will be assigned for his total hearing loss in the one ear.
  • Because 100 percent hearing loss was sustained in this example, the 35 will be multiplied by the maximum benefits of $275.10 (35 x 275.10), totaling $9,628.50.

A Few Things You Need to Know about Hearing Loss Claims & Workers’ Comp Benefits

While all of the information presented so far in the blog seems to depict a very cut-and-dry manner of determining workers’ compensation benefit awards for hearing loss injuries and claims, injured workers should be aware of the facts that:

  • Insurance companies will do their best to try to whittle down the amount of benefits that injured workers obtain for their hearing loss claims. For instance, insurers may try to claim that a person didn’t sustain the hearing damage while working in an effort to try to deny the workers’ compensation claim.
  • Doctors may make mistakes when it comes to determining the level of impairment that a person has suffered in terms of his auditory abilities. These mistakes can significantly impact the amount of workers’ compensation benefits an injured worker ultimately receives.
  • It may be possible for injured workers to file claims against third parties (like, for instance, subcontractors) to obtain additional compensation if or when the negligence of these third parties has contributed to the accident or incident that caused a person’s hearing loss.
  • The best way to obtain the full amount of benefits for hearing loss injuries is to work with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney like Jennifer Bisset.

Denver Workers’ Compensation Lawyer at the Bisset Law Firm

Have you suffering hearing loss or damage due to your job? If so, Denver Workers’ Compensation Attorney Jennifer Bisset wants you to know that she is here to stand up for your rights and help you obtain the benefits you need and deserve.

Let’s Talk about Your Case – Contact Us

Contact Denver Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Jennifer Bisset by calling (303) 894-8900 or emailing us (using the contact form on the upper right-side of the screen)  to learn more about your rights and receive a professional evaluation of your case.

While we offer knowledgeable, superior counsel to anyone seriously injured on the job, some of our additional key strengths include our fierce negotiating skills, our extensive trial experience and our readiness to take decisive action when the denial or delay of a workers’ compensation claim is finally overruled.