Payout is music to ears of deaf potters
SOLICITORS have been inundated with calls from former pottery workers who believe noisy machinery made them deaf.
Earlier this month, The Sentinel revealed ex-ceramics workers suffering hearing problems could be in line for compensation if they were exposed to more than 80 decibels of noise – equivalent to the sound of an alarm clock – at work.
Since then, solicitors have received more than 100 inquiries.
Industrial hearing loss specialist Mark Allen, of legal firm Irwin Mitchell, said: “At the last count we had received 112 inquiries as a direct result of The Sentinel article, which is a phenomenal response.
“It absolutely shows there is a serious problem in Stoke-on-Trent. There’s a lot of people who have never connected their hearing problems with past exposure to noise at work.
“Now we are in the process of speaking to them and giving them advice on whether they have a valid claim.”
Steve Evans, managing partner of Manchester-based WE Solicitors, said: “We have had about 15 people give us a call and ask for more information.
“Each one is taken on its own merit and we are in the process of taking a brief history and arranging for a hearing test.”
Fifteen former potters have successfully claimed thousands of pounds in out-of-court settlements since a landmark court case earlier this year. That set a precedent allowing workers exposed to workplace noise of above 80 decibels to claim compensation.
Now Stoke law firm Attwood Solicitors, in Hartshill Road, is staging its own free hearing clinic at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, in Hanley, on December 3.
Lawyer Ashley Attwood said: “In most claims, you have three years from the date of your accident to make a claim. But with a hearing claim, it is three years from the date of knowledge.
“Hearing claims allow for exposure of noise going back 30 or 40 years. Frequently we see four, five or even six defendants, because the claimant worked for that many different companies and all must take a share of the blame.
“We hope to help local people who, through no fault of their own, have suffered hearing loss due to noise exposure in the local noisy industries, including the pot banks, textiles and other heavy industries.
“We have much experience in hearing loss claims and currently have more than 100 hearing claims going through for clients.
“We arrange audiograms at no charge to the client.”
Slyvia Marsh, aged 67, of St John’s Road, Biddulph, received confirmation last week from WE Solicitors that her compensation claim had been successful, but does not yet know how much she will receive.
Mother-of-two Mrs Marsh, who worked for HR Johnson for 34 years, said: “It was really noisy. At first I worked near a dust collector, and that was very noisy, then I was in the biscuit factory, working near a scrap belt, and that was very noisy too.
“I found out I had a problem three years ago. I kept having to turn up the TV and radio and in company, I often couldn’t hear what was being said.”