Russian Railways (RZD) has been ordered by the Mogochinsky District Court to pay 100,000 rubles in compensation to a former employee who suffered hearing loss after three decades of service. The court’s decision, announced on May 30 via its VKontakte page, concludes a case involving an occupational disease claim.

The plaintiff, who worked for over 30 years as an assistant diesel locomotive driver at the Mogochinsky Locomotive Depot, developed “bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, 2nd degree,” due to prolonged exposure to noise. This condition was recognized as an occupational disease.

Despite retiring on an age pension, the former employee did not initially receive compensation for the moral damages incurred as a result of his hearing loss. He then filed a claim against RZD, seeking redress for the harm he suffered.

The court found that RZD failed to provide adequate evidence demonstrating the absence of harmful working conditions for the employee during his tenure. As a result, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiff and ordered RZD to pay 100,000 rubles.

While the plaintiff sought 500,000 rubles in compensation, the court deemed this amount excessive. The court noted that the plaintiff’s hearing had not deteriorated further since the diagnosis and that he filed his claim seven years after the occupational disease was identified.

The Zabaykalsky Krai Court reviewed the appeal and upheld the original decision, ensuring that the compensation would be paid to the former employee. This confirms the initial ruling of the Mogochinsky District Court.