As one of the five senses, hearing can be an integral part of communicating, working, and socializing. At law firm Share Lawyers, we have clients who require long term disability benefits for a whole range of reasons. Hearing loss is a disability that can make it impossible to work - especially for those who experience loss of hearing later in life.

Deafness is a term that’s used to describe individuals who have complete or significant hearing loss. Many deaf individuals use sign language and lip reading and thrive at work and in their personal lives - what we are talking about in this post is individuals who lose the ability to hear later in life, whether it be through occupational hazards, lifestyle, illness, or genetics.

What industries can cause hearing loss?

A loss of hearing is more common in some industries than in other. This includes:

• Military, with low flying aircrafts, combat, and military drills involving loud explosives
• Agriculture, hearing loss usually results from farming equipment and aircrafts that crop dust
• Entertainment and Hospitality, where those working concerts or in environments with loud music
• Construction, Carpentry and Mining, which all involve heavy and often loud machinery or work environments
• Dentistry, with high volume drill or suction tools

What illnesses can lead to hearing loss?

There are a range of illnesses that can lead to a loss of hearing including:

• Otosclerosis, a genetic condition that causes gradual loss of hearing due to abnormal bone growth in the ears
• Acoustic neuroma, involving a non-cancerous tumour growing directly on the nerve responsible for hearing and balance
• Mumps virus, which can damage the cochlea in the inner ear

How can hearing loss affect your ability to work?

A loss of hearing can affect an individual's ability to work in specific industries. Those who experience a loss of hearing in adulthood may see fewer job opportunities because of impaired or restricted communication, social withdrawal, and limited resources because of inability to communicate, and emotional and psychological problems because of low self-esteem and lack of confidence.

A loss of hearing, either related to work or illness, can have a significant effect on an individual’s life.

Denied your long term disability claim?

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