Ear Protection 30 Years Too Late

13 Jun 2010

He still works for the Doncaster based firm, which makes aluminium castings for the electric motor industry. He started at the firm in 1978, but until 2007 he was never provided with hearing protection - this was only provided after he told the company that he had been diagnosed with deafness and tinnitus. He suffers from constant ringing in his right ear and occasional tinnitus in his left ear and has to wear a hearing aid. Hallams Castings originally claimed the case was out of time but Thompsons Solicitors was able to prove it was not. The personal injury law firm, brought in by GMB, was also able to provide engineering evidence to prove Mr Haywood had been exposed to excessive noise. Hallams Castings eventually settled the claim out of court.

Mr Haywood said: ‘I now have to wear a hearing aid and I find that I’m short tempered because my concentration has gone. I wish I had been more aware of the damage I was doing to my hearing all of those years.’

Carol Wild from Thompsons Solicitors said: ‘Mr Haywood’s employers fought us every step of the way in this case. They only backed down three days before the trial was due to start. Mr Haywood deserves to be compensated after suffering irreparable damage to his ears.’