Exposure to loud noises, even just on one single occasion, can result in hearing loss. This sort of trauma is called Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). The inner ear is a complex and extremely sensitive structure that is highly susceptible to damage from loud sounds. When the hair cells inside the ear are damaged and die, they cannot grow back. Hearing loss, therefore, is a permanent disability.
Often times, loud workplaces have restrictions set by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) about how loud the noise created can be, and how long workers can be exposed to it. The continuous exposure to moderately loud sounds (greater than 85 decibels) has the potential to result in hearing loss for the exposed individual.
One-time exposure to an extremely loud noise can also cause hearing loss in a person. For example, firecrackers and firearms produce sounds at greater than 120 decibels. Explosion of a firecracker or discharge of a gun close to the head can result in hearing loss.
Sometimes, hearing loss can be only temporary. This can occur as a result of a one-time exposure to an impulse noise or as a result of temporary exposure to a milder yet continuous noise source. Incomplete hearing loss, such as the muffling of sounds or tinnitus, can result from long-term exposure to loud sounds.
Contact Us
Hearing loss can occur in anyone, at any age. If you or someone you know has been a victim of NIHL, please do not hesitate to contact the Minneapolis personal injury lawyers of Terry, Slane & Ruohonen, P.L.L.C. at 612-362-0000 today.
