A hearing loss settlement that pays only for the injury itself can look reasonable on paper while quietly ignoring the most valuable element: the long-term financial consequences. For someone whose service career was cut short, these can run to many times the injury award.
Loss of pension
The Armed Forces Pension Scheme is a significant benefit, and its value is closely tied to length of service and final rank. If hearing damage contributed to an early exit or a medical discharge, the difference between the pension you'll now receive and the pension you would otherwise have earned can be substantial. Valuing it properly requires careful actuarial analysis — something a rushed settlement rarely involves.
Loss of earnings
Hearing loss can end careers that depend on clear communication, situational awareness or passing medical gradings. A proper claim looks at:
- Earnings lost between injury and settlement (past loss).
- The gap between your likely service career and your actual post-service earnings (future loss).
- Reduced promotion prospects and the value of benefits tied to service.
Future losses are typically calculated using the Ogden Tables — the official actuarial tables for converting annual losses into a lump sum. Settlements that skip this step almost always undervalue the claim.
These losses take time, expert input and actuarial evidence to quantify. A solicitor under pressure to close files quickly may settle on the injury alone — leaving the largest, most complex part of the claim on the table.
Other losses worth checking
- Hearing aids for life — devices, fittings, batteries and replacements over decades.
- Aids and adaptations at home, such as amplified or visual alert systems.
- Care and assistance where day-to-day life is affected.
- Treatment costs, including private audiology and tinnitus therapies.
If your settlement didn't put a clear figure against pension and future earnings, that's a strong signal worth investigating. See the full list of warning signs, or let us rebuild your valuation for free.