Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most prevalent occupational health conditions among overseas contractors — and one of the most frequently under-claimed. Many contractors accept progressive hearing loss as an inevitable consequence of their work environment, unaware that it constitutes a compensable injury under the Defense Base Act.
Sources of Noise Exposure
The noise environment at overseas military installations is pervasive and intense. Generator operations, aircraft movements, vehicle engines, construction equipment, weapons testing and fire, and communications equipment all contribute to sustained high-level noise exposure. Contractors working in generator rooms, on flight lines, in vehicle maintenance, and in construction roles face particularly acute risks.
The Progressive Nature of Hearing Loss
Unlike a traumatic injury, noise-induced hearing loss typically develops gradually over extended periods of exposure. This creates particular challenges: the onset is often not associated with a specific incident, the loss may not be noticed until it becomes significant, and by the time a claim is considered the contractor may have left the employment relationship that caused the damage.
Establishing Service Connection
A successful hearing loss claim requires audiological documentation confirming the nature and extent of the hearing loss, an occupational history establishing the noise exposure, and a medical opinion linking the documented loss to the occupational exposure rather than to age-related or other causes. The pattern of hearing loss — typically a characteristic notch at 4000 Hz in noise-induced cases — provides important diagnostic evidence.
Tinnitus and Associated Conditions
Tinnitus — persistent ringing or noise in the ears — frequently accompanies noise-induced hearing loss and is separately compensable. Many claimants who have accepted minimal compensation for documented hearing loss have never been advised that their tinnitus represents an additional compensable condition.