Royal Navy Veteran Secures Settlement for Service Related Hearing Loss

We recently concluded a hearing loss claim for a former senior member of the Royal Navy, securing a settlement of £62,500 gross of deductions. Our client served from 1985 until his retirement in 2017, having previously spent several years as a Naval Reservist before joining the Regular Service full time. Much of his service was spent in the submarine service.

Throughout his service he was exposed to prolonged and intense noise including weapons fire during training and exercises, submarine engine noise and aircraft noise during operational deployments. As part of his submarine duties he also undertook the now discontinued “tower escape” training which subjected the ears to extreme pressure. At no stage was he warned about the risks of hazardous noise exposure or provided with appropriate hearing protection.

During his deployment to Iraq he was caught in a direct rocket attack which exposed him to explosions, further adding to his cumulative noise exposure. He also worked alongside C130 Hercules aircraft, US Blackhawk helicopters and UK Merlin helicopters during operations.

A few years before he left the Royal Navy, he developed severe noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus. He was issued hearing aids but continues to experience significant communication difficulties which affect his family life and day to day work. He now requires hearing aids much earlier than he would have done but for his exposure to injurious noise.

Speaking about his experience, he said the following:

“I cannot speak highly enough of Diane Askwith and the team at Ison Harrison. From the outset Diane guided me through an incredibly complex and emotionally draining process with clarity, professionalism and genuine care. Her judgement was impeccable, her communication consistent and her commitment to securing the best possible outcome for me never wavered. I could never have navigated this claim alone as the legal obstacles, the evidence gathering, the limitation issues and the Ministry of Defence’s resistance would have been completely overwhelming without her expertise. I have already recommended Diane and Ison Harrison to a recently retired former colleague who is now using them for his own hearing loss claim. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Diane and the firm to any former service person considering taking action. Their support has been exceptional.”

Speaking about the case, Diane Askwith said:

“I am very pleased to have concluded this claim satisfactorily for my client. His claim was significantly out of time when he first instructed me in July 2024. Court proceedings had to be issued quickly, and specialist medical evidence obtained without delay.

The risks of hearing loss to service personnel have been known for many years. The volume of similar claims against the Ministry of Defence is a sad indictment of the longstanding failure to ensure appropriate hearing protection was provided to those who serve to protect us. These failures have resulted in lifelong disability.

I am delighted my client has now received justice for his needlessly caused injuries. His compensation will enable him to obtain high quality private digital hearing aids and will go some way towards addressing the impact of the communication difficulties he now faces.”