Most people think of bone fractures, spinal injuries, and concussions when they think of possible injuries in a car accident. However, many car accident injuries are imperceptible at first or involve symptoms that only the victim can feel or observe. Hearing loss is one of the most common but often overlooked injuries resulting from car accidents.
If another driver’s negligence caused your car accident, you can hold him or her liable for the resulting damages by filing a personal injury claim, often with the assistance of an experienced Denver car accident attorney. However, it is critical to determine the full extent of your damages before accepting a settlement offer or filing a lawsuit, and hearing-related medical issues that can result from a car accident may not manifest symptoms for several weeks after the accident.
How do car accidents cause hearing loss or tinnitus?
Hearing loss and tinnitus can occur due to several types of injuries after a car accident. You can suffer injuries to the inner or middle ear due to displacement of inner ear bones or disrupt the balance of air pressure inside and outside the middle ear. Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries can also cause problems processing sound in addition to ear injuries. Although these injuries can result in hearing loss or tinnitus, most hearing loss from car accidents is caused by head and neck injuries, particularly whiplash.
Whiplash occurs when the forces of a car accident cause the neck and head to violently snap and twist back and forth. The victim is restrained against the seat by his or her seatbelt, but the head and neck are free to move and will feel the brunt of the force of impact and then the sudden stop. When the neck undergoes a sudden momentum shift in this manner, the event can cause damage to the muscles and other soft tissues of the neck, as well as nerve problems in the back, neck, and back of the head.
The impact force that causes whiplash can damage with the inner ear bones and nerves connected to the ear, resulting in tinnitus.
What is tinnitus or ringing in the ears?
Tinnitus is a condition that causes a constant ringing, whistling, or other noise in the ears. It is difficult for doctors to establish a link between a car accident and tinnitus. Some believe this condition is caused by pressure imbalances, while others believe it is caused by nerve damage in the head and neck that extends to the nerves of the ears.
Persistent ringing in the ears can lead to sleeping problems, irritability, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Tinnitus can result in diminished quality of life and impair your ability to work and perform normal life duties.
Some people experience tinnitus as a result of sudden or repeat exposure to loud noises. Those who develop tinnitus from whiplash often report more severe symptoms than other causes.
Pursuing negligence claims for hearing loss or tinnitus after a car accident in Colorado
One of the most difficult aspects of obtaining compensation for hearing loss following a car accident is that tinnitus symptoms and hearing loss are not always obvious. It is possible that symptoms will not appear for several weeks after the accident. Some clients even experience increasing hearing loss or tinnitus after beginning treatment for neck or spinal cord injuries weeks after a car accident.
It is critical to obtain health care after a car accident. If you experience any kind of pain or discomfort in the upper back, neck, or head, inform your doctor about your symptoms and ask about the potential for hearing loss. You should obtain diagnostic hearing tests to confirm hearing loss or ringing in your ears. Your physician should either identify treatment options or confirm in your medical records that the condition exists without treatment options. These medical records of your personal injury will be important to proving and fairly valuing in your case.
The car accident attorneys at Front Range Injury Attorneys help clients who suffered injuries due to car crashes get necessary medical care and recover the fair compensation they deserve for their injuries. Contact our law office today for a free case review with our car accident lawyers.
