British Telecom Deafness
- Do you work or have you worked as
an engineer for British Telecom?
- Did you use tone sets or other noisy
equipment?
- Do you have hearing
difficulties
The Hugh James BT hearing
loss team is here to help existing, and former, BT
employees get compensation for their hearing problems.
BT engineers hearing loss claims
Hugh James is acting on behalf of
current BT engineers and former BT
engineers across the UK, which includes CWU and non union
members, who have suffered hearing loss as a result of
their work.
Find out more:
BT response to hearing loss claims
The Hugh James
BT hearing loss team has led the BT hearing loss litigation for
many years. It was as a direct result of court action pursued
by Hugh James solicitors, BT, made general admissions that the
green and unmodified yellow tone sets emitted excessively high
noise levels, that could cause damage.
The admissions
made by BT have made the process of securing compensation for all
current and former BT engineers quicker and far easier.
BT has admitted
liability in the majority of the cases that we are handling.
They accept that they have wrongly exposed their workforce to
excessive noise levels.
BT engineers and tone sets
Engineers working for BT use "tone
sets" when "pairing out tones" during installation or maintenance
of telephone lines. Tone sets are oscillators and
amplifiers used to detect lines and faults on lines.
Our clients are mainly engineers
and former engineers who have suffered hearing problems caused by
the sound of the tone sets, and are now taking action for their
hearing loss. Some BT engineers have also suffered hearing
health problems when working in noisy telephone exchanges in
particular the older strowger or director equipment.
Other engineers have suffered hearing health problems whilst
using, or working close to, kango hammers, jackhammers, pole erection units
and mole
ploughs without hearing protection. Most of our
clients have been unaware that they have been exposed to excessive
noise when using "tone sets".
How has hearing health been damaged by BT tone sets?
The hearing damage has been caused
by the use of tone sets which were used when installing and
maintaining telephone lines.
Some BT engineers have also
suffered hearing problems when working in noisy telephone exchanges
in particular the old strowger or director equipment.
Other engineers have suffered hearing problems whilst using or
working close to kangohammers, jackhammers, pole erection units
and mole
ploughs without action being taken to prevent hearing
loss.
Common hearing problems caused by BT tone sets
Our clients'
hearing loss problems include difficulties with
normal conversations, not hearing the TV and not being able to hear
when there is background noise. Many of our clients suffer from
noises in their ears known as tinnitus, and also require hearing
aids.
Most of us do not notice for some
time a loss in our hearing health. More often than not our families
notice it first. Usually the hearing loss develops over a
long time especially where there is prolonged exposure to
noise.
Common hearing problem indicators include:
- Having the television or radio on louder than is comfortable
for other members of the family
- Difficulty hearing the telephone ring
- Often saying pardon and asking people to repeat what they have
said
- Often being accused of not listening
- Difficulty following conversation in a group of people
especially where there is background noise
- Noises in your ears such as a ringing or buzzing
- Finding loud sounds uncomfortable
If you recognise these symptoms and
have worked as a BT engineer then we may be able to help you take
action and make a
claim, this includes both CWU and non union members. In
many cases the claim will include the cost of treatment for
tinnitus therapy and the future cost of hearing aids.
Other BT equipment
Although BT tone sets are the most
common cause of BT employees to suffer hearing loss they are not
exclusively causing the problems. There are many other pieces of
equipment and machinery which are causing, and have caused,
problems for BT engineers. The Hugh James BT hearing
loss solicitors are helping sufferers from all types
of equipment.
-
Strowger or director equipment
Some BT engineers suffer from hearing
health problems due to working in noisy Strowger or Director
telephone exchanges.
More information on strowger or
director equipment
BT engineers and former BT engineers have also
alleged to have suffered hearing loss and tinnitus as a result of
using pole erections units during their employment with BT.
More information on pole erection units
BT engineers allege to have suffered hearing
loss and/or tinnitus as a result of using mole ploughs.
More information on mole ploughs
Compensation for BT
engineers
The BT employee hearing health loss
claims include compensation for the injury. In many cases the claim
will include the cost of treatment for tinnitus therapy and the
future cost of hearing aids. A number of our clients have
already benefitted from our help and received
compensation.
We have a 100% success rate of
settling claims where we have received positive medical evidence
confirming noise induced hearing loss; all of which have settled
without going to trial at court.
BT deafness claims are not
affected by the April 2011 Supreme Court
ruling read
more
Hearing aids & treatment for hearing
loss & tinnitus
At Hugh James we have a
great deal of experience in assisting clients who suffer with
hearing loss. We appreciate the effects that hearing loss and
tinnitus can have.
As part of the claim we will
arrange for you to be examined by an experienced consultant ENT
surgeon and an audiologist, who will recommend whether you may
benefit from hearing aids now or in the future.
There are now a wide variety of
hearing aids available and provided that the medical experts
believe that you require a hearing aid now or in the future then
the cost may be included in your compensation.
You will also receive
recommendations for treatment where this is appropriate. For
instance for people suffering from tinnitus, this may include
tinnitus retraining therapy.
Hearing loss time limits for
compensation
In personal injury
claims, if you do have to issue legal proceedings you have to do so
within three years from the date of your accident. With
hearing health loss claims you have to issue legal
proceedings by the third anniversary of your ‘date of knowledge’
i.e. the date you first linked your hearing problems to your use of
the tone set equipment. This is because the effect of noise
exposure may not result in a noticeable injury i.e. hearing loss or
tinnitus for some time.
In respect of the tone
set cases, BT have indicated that where they admit liability, they
will not take issue with the three year limitation period.
Therefore a client may be able to successfully pursue a claim where
they previously thought that they were out of time.
Whilst BT have agreed not
to raise limitation as an issue, strict time limits still
apply and clients should contact us as a matter of urgency to
investigate their potential claim.
More information on time limits
Funding a hearing health loss
claim
Our current clients are
all represented under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), more
commonly known as a 'no win no fee' agreement. By pursuing a claim
under a CFA our clients are in the same position financially as
they would be if pursuing a claim through their Union.
More information on funding personal injury claims
Complete our claim enquiry form