Socha v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Board

OPINION ANNOUNCING THE JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

SAYLOR, Justice.

We allowed appeal in this matter to consider the timeliness of a notice to an employer of a work-related partial hearing loss under Section 311 of the Workers’ Compensation Act.

Emil Socha (“Claimant”) has been employed by Bell Atlantic Pennsylvania, Inc. (“Employer”) since 1968, when he worked as a switchman at Employer’s facility in downtown Pittsburgh; he remained in that location until 1984. In this *604capacity, Claimant was responsible for maintaining and repairing line switching equipment, which included diesel engines, generators,…