Military Noise-induced Hearing Loss - Professional Negligence Claim

If you brought a civil claim against the Ministry of Defence for military noise-induced hearing loss or tinnitus, and your case has already settled, you may be entitled to more.

Hugh James offers a free, no-obligation review of completed civil settlements in Military Deafness claims.

We are the firm that brought the leading Military Deafness litigation. We are now reviewing a number of past civil claims against the Ministry of Defence where settlements appear to have been agreed at comparatively low levels.

There are concerns that some individuals may not have been fully advised on:

The long-term consequences of noise exposure
The true value of all financial losses
The full impact of hearing loss or tinnitus on their future

This may mean they accepted an offer for significantly less than their claim was worth.

If you are unsure whether your settlement properly reflected your losses, we can review it.

Who this applies to

This service relates only to previously settled civil claims against the Ministry of Defence.

It does not relate to:

Claims against any other defendant
New or ongoing personal injury claims
Awards made under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

Why these reviews are being carried out

The value of military hearing loss and tinnitus claims against the Ministry of Defence can vary significantly depending on individual circumstances.

Appropriate advice at the time of settlement should have considered matters such as:

The severity and likely progression of hearing loss or tinnitus
Whether the Claimant lost their past and/or future military career due to hearing loss
The impact on civilian employment and future earning capacity
Pension loss
Ongoing treatment, equipment or therapy costs
The wider effect on day-to-day functioning and quality of life

In recent years, substantial awards have been secured in reported and lead cases handled by Hugh James, including:

Inglis v Ministry of Defence [2019] EWHC 1153 (QB): £545,766.60 following trial
Barry v Ministry of Defence [2023] EWHC 459 (KB): £783,932 following trial
Military Deafness Litigation lead cases settled shortly before trial in 2025, including one settlement of £182,250 and three others of £500,000 or more

These cases are not benchmarks and do not necessarily mean other cases should have settled at similar levels. Every case depends on its own facts and evidence.

However, it is vital that claimants were properly advised on what their claim might be worth.

A number of settlements we have reviewed appear low when considered against the individual’s full circumstances. In some cases, this raises concern that the advice given may not have fully addressed long-term financial losses or met the required professional standard.

What this review involves

This review does not involve re-running the original injury claim against the Ministry of Defence.

It involves assessing whether the legal advice provided at the time of settlement:

Met the required standard of care
Properly reflected the individual’s circumstances

If the advice was appropriate, no further action will be required.

If it was not, there may be grounds to pursue a professional negligence claim against the former solicitors.

What happens next

Submit the enquiry form and our specialist team will:

Review the information you provide
Assess whether your settlement raises potential concerns
Contact you using your preferred method
Explain clearly whether we believe you may have a claim
Outline the next steps

The review is free and without obligation.

If you settled your Military Deafness claim and have any doubt about whether you received the compensation you were entitled to, now is the time to find out.

Key contact

Erich Kurtz

Partner

Erich is a Partner in our Financial Mis-Selling team. He specialises in complex multi-claimant litigation, with a strong track record of leading policyholder business interruption claims and both professional negligence and financial mis-selling group actions.