Missouri Workers' Compensation law does provide benefits for some people who sustain work-related hearing loss. However, the law does not provide compensation for all people with work-related hearing loss. For instance, only speech-frequency hearing loss is compensated. People with hearing loss in the higher-pitch ranges are not entitled to compensation. Furthermore, the hearing loss in the speech frequency must be of a certain level before the hearing loss is compensated. The hearing loss in the lower frequencies must average at least 26 decibels in order to be compensable. And what is worse--for every year of age you are over the age of 40, one-half decibel is subtracted. So, for instance, if you have an average of 30 decibels of hearing loss in the speech frequencies, you have a compensable hearing loss if you are under age 40. However, if you are 50 years old, then because you are 10 years over the age of 40, 5 decibels (one-half per year) are deducted, resulting in only 25 decibels of loss. This is less than the minimum 26 decibels necessary for compensation, so a 50-year-old person with the same level of hearing loss as a 40-year-old person may not receive compensation. The statutes and regulations applying to hearing loss claims are difficult to interpret, so if you think you have a significant work-related hearing loss, give us a call and we can help you through the maze of the hearing loss statute.
Bollwerk & Tatlow, LLC is located in St. Louis, Missouri and serves all of Missouri and Illinois including the following counties, cities, and towns:
St. Louis. St. Louis County: Clayton, Chesterfield, Kirkwood, Florissant, Oakville, University City, Mehlville, Wildwood, Ballwin, Affton, Maryland Heights, Hazelwood, Webster Groves, Brentwood, Lemay, Bellefontaine Neighbors, Manchester, Town and Country, Ferguson, Glendale, Creve Coeur, Maplewood, Bridgeton, Ladue, Jennings, Saint Ann. Jefferson County: Arnold, Festus, Murphy, Barnhart, De Soto, Fenton, Byrnes Mill. St. Charles County: O'Fallon, St. Charles, St. Peters, Wentzville, Lake St. Louis, Weldon Spring. Franklin County: Washington, Union, Sullivan, Pacific, Saint Clair. Warren County: Warrenton, Wright City. Lincoln County: Troy, Elsberry, Moscow Mills. Boone County: Columbia. Randolph County: Moberly, Huntsville. Southern Illinois.