Employers warned about excessive noise following voice injury payout

Employers are being warned to take into account the effect noise could have on employees, following a six-figure out-of-court settlement case. Former teacher, Joyce Walters, was recently awarded £145,000 by Hillingdon Council after developing a permanent voice injury brought on by speaking loudly over continuous noise.

Joyce Walters taught English to adults at Harlington Adult Education Centre. She developed non-cancerous vocal chord nodules from having to speak loudly over noise outside her classroom, which was particularly bad during school break times. Despite telling her bosses at Harlington Adult Education Centre about the issues she faced, Ms Walters said that nothing was done.

The 50 year old mother-of-two is still only able to speak for short periods of time before her throat becomes sore and her voice hoarse.

Hillingdon Council, which runs the Harlington Adult Education Centre where Mrs Walters worked from September 2005 to July 2006, has since admitted it was at fault for the injuries Joyce suffered to her voice, and awarded her the six figure settlement.

According to Mrs Walters’ solicitor, Joanne Jefferies at Irwin Mitchell, the Council accepted that:

The noise from outside the classroom made the problems Mrs Walters faced even worse; and

They failed to address her complaints regarding the continuous noise problems.

Joanne Jeffries, an expert in workplace injuries at leading national law firm Irwin Mitchell, said:

“It is now imperative that lessons are not only learnt, but shared with other schools throughout the country to ensure that further suffering is prevented.”

Jean Palmer, Director of Planning, Environment and Community Services at Hillingdon Council, said:

“After a period of almost three years the Council felt that it was in the best interests of Mrs Walters, the Council and taxpayers to settle the claims. Mrs Walters had brought employment claims and separate personal injury claims against the Council, and had agreed to settle her employment claims last year which were without any admission of liability on part of the Council. The more recent settlement was made out of court and brings to a close the claims made by Joyce Walters.”