Ex-soldier sues Army for hearing loss
A former soldier is suing the Army for £40,000 after claiming excessive noise has damaged his hearing.
Barry Tamburrini, of Lanarkshire, said he was diagnosed as suffering "noise induced hearing loss" in both ears and also experiences buzzing tinnitus.
The 32-year-old said that after enlisting in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders his duties as part of an anti-tank platoon required him to take part in firing exercises with live ammunition. He said that although he used an ear defender, it provided an inadequate level of protection from the noise.
It is also claimed that the military had no adequate system for warning employees of the risk of damage to their hearing as a consequence of such exposure.
Mr Tamburrini claimed that "given the obvious intense, prolonged and continuous high noise levels, a noise assessment should have been carried out on an annual basis".
Mr Tamburrini, who now works as a security guard, joined the Army in 1995 but his career ended in December 2003. He failed a hearing test in 2002 and he claims he is now unable to watch television unless the volume is up high and prefers music to be loud, but his wife finds the level of volume uncomfortable.
He maintains that the damage to his hearing has affected his working, social and family life and he claims he is unable to work safely and comfortably in noisy surroundings and lost out on promotion in the Army.
Mr Tamburrini accepted that he suffered from impaired hearing when he went into the Army, but said it was "minimal" and did not prevent his admission.
The Ministry of Defence, which is defending the action, maintained that it discharged all duties of reasonable care to the soldier.
It is also maintained that the legal action is time-barred and a hearing has begun on that issue.
Mr Tamburrini also has a £40,000 claim against the MoD for an injury he suffered when his hand was trapped by a tank door while with the Black Watch in Germany.
