Understand Social Security Disability Benefits for Construction-Related Hearing Loss
Posted on: 3 January 2019
The construction industry employs an average of approximately 10 million individuals in the US, a statistic that is troubling when one considers how noisy construction work is. In many instances, a large number of these individuals are going to have to apply for Social Security Disability to get compensation for severe hearing loss.
Hearing Loss Is An Epidemic In Construction
The excessive levels of noise in the average construction area—particularly those with large jackhammers or other similarly loud tools—can cause severe strain on a worker's ears. According to the CDC, about 22 million workers across the country yearly are exposed to destructive levels of noise while at work.
And while most of these workers will wear hearing protection devices, such as noise-blocking headphones, to protect their ears, many others will not. Even those who do wear these headphones will still have occasional exposure to loud noises that can strain their ears and cause irreversible damage. In fact, the CDC also reports that of these 22 million noise-exposed workers, 19 percent have hearing problems.
That means that over four million active noise-exposed workers have permanent hearing damage that could cause difficulties in their day-to-day lives. And many of these workers will be in construction-related fields and will have no choice but to apply for Social Security Disability.
Social Security Disability Can Help
Construction workers with severe hearing impairment put their lives and the lives at others at risk if they try to hide their disability. For example, a worker with hearing damage may not hear a warning from a coworker and walk directly in the way of a construction vehicle. They may also injure a coworker if they do not hear them coming and swing a tool in their direction.
In this scenario, a construction worker should apply for Social Security Disability to get financial compensation and to protect themselves and others. Applying for these benefits requires getting tests to confirm that individuals are within the covered threshold for disability benefits. Essentially, a person must have lost significant frequency recognition and be unable to perform their job due to their hearing loss.
So if you are a construction worker who is experiencing severe hearing loss, it is important to talk to a Social Security Disability representative right away. These professionals will work to defend your rights and fight to get you the compensation that you deserve for your construction-related hearing loss.
Share