8.3 Hearing Loss - 1971 Act

Hearing loss under the 1971 Act is compensated under:

• S39(4) (total loss of hearing – 70% of maximum statutory amount), and
• S39(9) (partial loss of hearing).

Section 39(9) states:

39(9) The compensation payable under this Act in respect of an injury resulting in partial loss of hearing by an employee is such percentage of the amount of compensation that would be payable under this section in respect of an injury resulting in total loss of hearing by the employee as is the percentage by which the injury resulted in the hearing of the employee immediately before the injury being reduced.

The percentage of binaural hearing loss can be any amount greater than 0%.

The nature of loss of hearing loss is discussed in detail at Chapter 5 in this manual.