Carrier for Last Employer to Expose Worker to Hazardous Noise Levels Must Pay Claim

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that the insurance carrier for the last employer responsible for exposing a worker to hazardous levels of noise for a period of over a year was liable for the worker’s hearing loss claim. Case: Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance v. Clas Coal Co. Inc., No. 2024-SC-0571-WC, 10/23/2025, published.   Facts: Troy Stidham worked for the Clas Coal Co. for over 16 years in Kentucky. After the mine in Pike County closed, he continued working for Clas in Alabama for nine months before retiring in October 2020. In both Kentucky and Alabama, Stid...