A Cheshire welder whose hearing was damaged while at work has been awarded £12,000 compensation in an out of court settlement by his former employer.

Stephen Rothwell of Middlewich suffered serious hearing damage while working for Henry Smith Constructional Engineering.

He took action against the company with the help of industrial injury specialists, Attwood Solicitors

Stephen, 50, a plater welder, was never advised to wear ear protectors despite working in a very noisy environment at Henry Smith’s steel fabrication factory.

The noise has resulted in Tinnitus and led to him losing around 50 per cent of his hearing.

Ashley Attwood, Principal Solicitor, said: “This is an exceptional award and reflects the severity of injury caused to Stephen.

“His employer was negligent in that they offered no protection to Stephen and his co-workers despite the extremely noisy environment that they worked in.

“Many workers like Stephen who experience hearing loss while working in extremely noisy environments have simply put up with it yet they deserve compensation for the pain and inconvenience they have had to put up with.”

Stephen began working at the Wharton Steelworks, Deakins Road, Winsford, when he left school in 1976 and stayed with the company until 2003.”

He said: “In the early years there was no mention of ear protection at all despite the fact that I worked in an extremely noisy fabrication workshop.  I am not blaming the company, it was just the way that industry operated back then.

“I can’t hear conversations or the television and suffer Tinnitus which causes variable buzzing sounds in my ears. I have to wear hearing aids in both ears.”

Attwood solicitors are currently pursuing compensation on behalf of around 200 workers in the Midlands and North West of England.

Claimants include pottery workers from Stoke-on-Trent, former Foden workers from Cheshire and shipbuilders from Barrow in Furness.

Attwood Solicitors has teamed up with audiologists to hold a series of free hearing advice clinics.

“We have been able to help around 200 people with more claims in the pipeline,” said Mr Attwood. “We are not simply seeking compensation we are working to give clients the help they deserve and need to put their lives back on track.”

Noise above 80 decibels – roughly the same as an average alarm clock – is considered dangerous but many older people are now suffering from damage caused before current health and safety standards were introduced.

ENDS

For further information contact Ashley Attwood on 01782 416016 www.attwoodsolicitors.co.uk.

Notes to Editors:

Attwoods Solicitors are personal injury specialists based in Hartshill Road, Stoke-on-Trent. More than £2 million has been successfully claimed by Attwoods to help people who have suffered in an accident.