This Practice Note provides guidance on Tracing defendants and insurers in Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) claims. It covers obtaining claimants’ employments histories from HMRC, the Employers’ Liability Tracing Office, APIL Members’ Area and Companies House Webcheck.

In the majority of NIHL claims, the noise exposure that caused the hearing damage occurred many years ago. The workplaces may have closed down or changed hands, companies been wound up or taken over by other organisations and sometimes even an internet search yields no information about the claimant's former employer. Indeed, tracing the employers is often only the first step. If they are no longer trading, it is the insurers for the claimant’s period of employment who must be traced.

There are some resources that can assist in tracing defendants and insurers.