Mr J wins £4,000.00 after winning his case for noise induced hearing loss, against Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Co Ltd.

Mr J was employed by Goodyear from 1957 to 1993. Up until around 1961, he was not exposed to excessive noise, as he was working as a trainee, moving around some of the quieter departments.

From 1961 to 1987, Mr J was based in the Warehousing and Shipping Department and exposed to the noise of the fork lift trucks, wrapping machines, compressed air powered machinery. He then moved to the Aircraft Inspection Department, where he was exposed to noise from compressed air powered machinery, which was used to inflate and deflate tyres. Latterly, Mr J worked in Department 241, which was a tyre production department. The sources of noise were milling machines, calendar machines and fork lift trucks.

Mr J was not warned by his employer that his hearing could be damaged by excessive noise exposure. Hearing protection was only made available in the last couple of years of his employment, but even so, it was enforced and Mr J would have to ask for it himself.

WE Solicitors arranged a medical for Mr J, which confirmed that he was suffering from moderate tinnitus and moderate noise induced hearing loss. This medical evidence was put to the defendants, in support of the case.

The defendant’s insurers eventually agreed to settle the case for £4,000.00, by way of an out-of-court agreement. Both Mr J and WE Solicitors are pleased with the outcome.