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Recent Hearing Damage Awards, Denis M. Burgoon

Cleveland State Law Review

Acoustic trauma and direct injury to the mechanism of hearing are the compensable personal injuries delineated here. As hearing loss has, in all but a few cases, been a minor part of the injury sustained, it is not possible to determine the value of loss of hearing alone. It would appear that partial loss of hearing, either permanent or temporary, is not considered very disabling. $56,000 seems to be the highest award for total loss of hearing with no other injury reported, while $3,500 is the lowest award found for partial loss of hearing. As the cases generally involve various …