In May 2025, the County Court in Northern Ireland awarded compensation to a former worker who developed noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) after years of exposure to excessive workplace noise. The case of McDaid v Spanboard Products Limited [2025] NICty 3 is a significant reminder that employees may still be able to claim compensation for hearing damage many years after leaving noisy employment.
The Background
The plaintiff, Mr John McDaid, born in 1954, worked for Spanboard Products Limited between 1987 and 2009. He claimed that prolonged exposure to noisy machinery during his employment caused permanent damage to his hearing.
Although Mr McDaid had worked in other jobs earlier in his career, medical experts agreed that the majority of his hearing problems were caused by his time at Spanboard. The court found that 52.5% of his hearing loss was directly attributable to workplace noise exposure with the defendant.
Medical Evidence
Two ENT specialists gave evidence:
- Mr Ullah FRCS – concluded the hearing loss was moderate and caused by the defendant’s noisy workplace.
- Mr Stewart FRCS – suggested part of the damage was linked to other jobs and initially described the loss as mild.
The judge preferred Mr Ullah’s evidence and applied the World Health Organisation (WHO) grading system, which categorises Mr McDaid’s condition as moderate hearing loss.
Legal Issues in Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Claims Northern Ireland
The defendant raised a limitation defence, arguing that the claim was out of time because the plaintiff had known about his hearing problems for years. However, the judge exercised discretion under the Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 to allow the case to proceed, noting that the delay had not prejudiced the defence.
This confirms that even if hearing loss develops or is diagnosed many years after employment, a claim can still succeed if supported by strong evidence.
The Court’s Decision
Deputy County Court Judge Logue awarded:
- £30,000 in general damages (before deductions)
- Including £1,500 uplift to reflect the plaintiff’s accelerated need for hearing aids (based on updated figures from Atkinson v Chief Constable of the PSNI [2015] NIQB 92)
- After applying deductions, the final award was £14,726.85 plus legal costs
The court accepted that Mr McDaid suffered permanent, moderate hearing loss and that this significantly impacted his daily life.
What This Means for Workers in Northern Ireland
This case reinforces several key points for anyone considering a noise-induced hearing loss compensation claim in Northern Ireland:
- You can claim years after leaving noisy work if your diagnosis is recent.
- Courts recognise both age-related and noise-induced hearing loss, and compensation is adjusted accordingly.
- Expert medical evidence is critical.
- Compensation can include not only hearing loss itself but also the accelerated need for hearing aids.
How Lacey Solicitors Can Help
At Lacey Solicitors in Belfast, we have successfully secured compensation in noise-induced hearing loss claims in Northern Ireland for clients against major employers across Northern Ireland, including Harland & Wolff PLC, Bombardier Aerospace, Short Brothers PLC, Rolls Royce, Taylor Wimpey PLC, Metro (NI) Limited, Babcock Power Limited, Cape Insulation Limited, Courtaulds PLC, and many others.
Call Lacey Solicitors today and speak to Roisin Cassidy who is the Solicitor in charge of Noise-Induced hearing loss claims Northern Ireland or alternatively use our Online Portal and we’ll arrange a call back.
