Which route applies to you?
Served in the armed forces? Hearing damage from gunfire, artillery, aircraft or vehicle noise during service is claimed through the military route — whether you are still serving or left years ago. Start with our military deafness and hearing loss guide, which covers who qualifies, the evidence that helps and how the claim runs. Wider service injuries — cold injuries, training accidents, equipment failures — are covered in our military injury claims guide.
Worked somewhere loud? Factories, construction sites, workshops, printing, bottling and engineering plants — if your employer didn't control noise or provide hearing protection, that may be an industrial deafness claim against the employer (or their insurer, even if the company has closed). It sits within our personal injury section because it follows the workplace claims process.
Not sure which fits? If any of the noise exposure was during military service, start with the military route — service-related damage is assessed differently and the military guide explains how the two interact.
What hearing loss compensation looks like
Awards are guided by the Judicial College Guidelines and depend on the severity of the loss, whether tinnitus is present and your age. Our hearing loss compensation amounts guide breaks the brackets down in detail, or you can get a quick directional estimate now:
An estimate is a starting point, not a valuation — every claim turns on its own audiology evidence, and no outcome is guaranteed.
Time limits
For civil claims, the usual limit is three years — but the clock generally starts when you first connected your hearing problems to the noise exposure, which for many people is decades after the job or service ended. A recent diagnosis can mean an old exposure is still claimable. Military schemes have their own time rules, covered in the military guide. If you think you may be out of time, it's still worth checking — courts can allow late claims in some circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
Can I claim if the noisy job was years ago?
Often, yes. The three-year clock usually runs from when you realised (or should have realised) your hearing loss was linked to noise, not from the exposure itself. Many industrial deafness claims are made by people diagnosed long after retirement.
Can I claim if my old employer no longer exists?
Usually, yes. Industrial deafness claims are typically paid by the employer's insurer at the time, and insurers can be traced even where the company has been dissolved.
Does wearing hearing aids affect a claim?
No — needing hearing aids tends to support a claim, and their cost can form part of the compensation.
Is tinnitus on its own enough to claim?
It can be. Tinnitus with or without measurable hearing loss appears in the Judicial College brackets — severity and persistence drive the award.
How much could your claim be worth?
Try our hearing loss calculator — free, takes under a minute, and uses the official figures for this claim type.
Calculators and tools
Free tools that estimate what a claim could be worth — a starting point, not a valuation.