A routine drive turns into disaster when a negligent driver collides with your vehicle, causing your head to snap quickly from side to side in a whiplash. After a few minutes, you come back to your senses but realize the immense pain you’re in and the high-pitched ringing in your ears.

Days later, you’re safe at home, but the ringing is still there. A trip to the doctor’s office reveals that you have tinnitus caused by the whiplash you experienced in the accident. Weeks turn to months, and the condition hasn’t disappeared. Neither has the anxiety the accident caused. What can you do? Who can help you regain a sense of normalcy?

If you or a loved one have recently developed tinnitus after a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation.

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of an external source, meaning that you hear that high pitched sound without there being a physical source of it. Ringing in your ears after a car accident is uncomfortable, can be painful, and may result in a diminished quality of life.

Tinnitus Is More Serious than Many Think

Tinnitus develops when the noise or trauma of the car accident causes the injured party to hear ringing in the ears, buzzing, roaring, or pulsating sounds; these are called phantom sounds. Tinnitus can occur in one or both ears and may cause difficulties with sleeping and concentrating. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), a 2016 study found that roughly 10 percent of the U.S. adult population – nearly 25 million Americans – had experienced tinnitus lasting at least five minutes over the prior year.

Symptoms of tinnitus may include but are not limited to:

  • Auditory hallucinations
  • Loss of or decreased hearing
  • Earache or ear pain
  • Headache
  • Nasal congestion
  • Dizziness
  • Mood swings
  • Memory issues

Tinnitus and Mental Health

Not only can tinnitus take a physical toll on your body by causing insomnia and headaches, but it can deeply affect your mental health as well. Studies have found that a significantly higher percentage of tinnitus patients suffer from depression and anxiety. Because tinnitus can cause loud, high-, or low-pitched sounds that sufferers cannot escape, it’s easy to understand why the condition can feel isolating and overwhelming, especially since there is no known cure.

The torment of tinnitus can steal joy from your life. If your tinnitus was caused by another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation.

How Does Tinnitus Develop?

Though it’s not known what exactly causes tinnitus after a car accident, scientists believe that when damage to the inner ear happens, it changes the signal carried by your nerves to the part of the brain that processes sound. This may produce phantom sounds in your auditory cortex.

The auditory cortex communicates with other parts of the brain and studies have shown that some people with tinnitus have changes in their non-auditory brain regions.

Understanding Ear Ringing After a Car Accident

Ringing in the ear after a head injury can be classified as:

  • Subjective tinnitus
  • Objective tinnitus
  • Neurological tinnitus
  • Somatic tinnitus

Subjective tinnitus is the most common form and means that you hear noises that have no external source. This usually occurs following exposure to very loud noises, such as the sudden impact from a car collision, and may come and go suddenly, lasting anywhere from hours to more than a year.

Unlike subjective tinnitus, objective tinnitus can be heard by other people, though it is rare. Most cases are caused by involuntary muscle contraction or vascular abnormalities. It may coincide with heart rhythm.

Neurological tinnitus is associated with underlying conditions that affect the brain. If tinnitus impacts the brain’s auditory capabilities, it becomes more difficult to hear clearly. Underlying conditions may include diseases or disorders such as Meniere’s disease that affects the middle ear.

Somatic tinnitus is linked to the sensory system, associated with movement and touch. This type of tinnitus is usually triggered by muscle spasms or other mechanical issues in the head and neck. It can be caused by inflammation, head and neck injuries, impacted wisdom teeth or tooth extractions, and car accidents.

What Causes Tinnitus After a Car Accident?

Numerous factors may cause tinnitus after a car accident, though the most common are the noises caused by the collision and the physical trauma it imposes. The force of impact alone can do serious damage to your hearing if the eardrum or middle ear has been affected. Factors from the crash that cause tinnitus may include whiplash, traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic neck pain, and airbag deployment.

If you were recently involved in a car accident and have noticed problems like physical discomfort in your ears, ringing in your ears, or hearing loss, the collision may have caused these changes. Consulting with your doctor to schedule a hearing test is the best way to know for sure.

How Long Does Tinnitus Last After a Car Accident?

Tinnitus may be temporary or permanent, making it important to seek medical attention for proper diagnosis and treatment. While there is no cure for it, consulting with a doctor for potential treatments may help you to cope with the ringing in your ears. For example, they may suggest hearing aids, sound therapy, tinnitus retraining therapy, medication, or lifestyle changes such as avoiding alcohol and coffee. For the best results, talk to a doctor as soon as possible.

Treating Tinnitus

While tinnitus can’t be cured, it can be treated to minimize its impact. Sound therapies, behavioral therapies, and medications are the most popular forms of treatment for tinnitus.

Sound Therapies

Some research has shown that exposure to sound has the ability to reverse changes brought on by hearing loss. It’s possible that sound therapy may also cover the noise produced by tinnitus, or help to distract you from it. Sound therapy most commonly uses sound generators placed near your bed to play relaxing noises such as rain, a fan, or waves to keep the tinnitus at bay.

Sound therapy also includes the use of hearing aids which amplify external noises. Wearable sound generators may be used as well, which are small electronic devices that fit in the ear to emit soft sounds. Combination devices, which go in your ear, can provide sound amplification and sound generation in one device. These devices can be used to treat tinnitus in people with hearing loss.

Other Therapies

Behavioral therapy focuses on helping you reduce the impact of tinnitus on your life. Learning about your condition may reduce anxiety and can teach you techniques to cope, avoiding worsening your symptoms through limiting your time around loud sounds.

Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches you to identify negative thoughts that cause worry, and to change your response to them. This form of therapy teaches users to focus on positive changes that will limit the impact tinnitus has on you.

Retraining therapy uses counseling and sound therapy to help your brain no longer register that tinnitus has an effect on you. It “retrains” you to recognize the sounds produced by tinnitus as neutral, while a device in your ear emits a low-level sound to aid you in adjusting to the presence of tinnitus.

Medications

While there are no medications capable of treating tinnitus specifically, your doctor may prescribe antidepressants or anxiety medication to help suppress the symptoms.

When a Car Accident Causes Tinnitus, You May Be Able to Recover Compensation

Tinnitus may be considered a compensable injury if another person or party’s negligence caused the accident that led to your condition. If you’ve developed tinnitus after a car accident, you may be able to seek compensation from the negligent party.

The victim of tinnitus that has developed after a car accident may be compensated for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The settlement amount you may be able to recover for your hearing injury will vary depending on the diagnosis and prognosis, the specific facts of your case, and available insurance coverage.

Can I Recover Disability?

If your tinnitus is severe enough to affect your ability to work, you may have options beyond a personal injury claim. Depending on your situation, disability benefits through the Social Security Administration or other programs may be available. An attorney can help you understand whether your condition meets the applicable criteria and which programs may apply to you.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident

  1. Seek treatment. A doctor will conduct a physical examination, likely examining your ears, nose, oral cavity, oropharynx, and the cranial nerve function. In some cases, a hearing test may be administered as well as an MRI or CT scan.
  2. Get a referral to an otolaryngologist. An otolaryngologist specializes in ear, nose, and throat conditions. As they are highly trained in diagnosing conditions such as tinnitus, seeing an otolaryngologist will ensure you receive proper evaluation and treatment.
  3. Early documentation. As soon as your symptoms start, begin documenting them to establish a link between the car accident and ringing in the ears. Keeping a clear record can help show the ringing in your ears began after the car accident and help support your claim for treatment.
  4. Talk to Montlick. Speaking with an experienced Montlick personal injury attorney can be an important step after developing tinnitus from an accident. Our attorneys can listen to your concerns, explain your legal options, and help determine how we may be able to support your case.
  5. Don’t sign anything. Make sure that you consult with your attorney before signing any documents related to your accident. Doing so may have significant implications for your compensation and the overall result of your case.

How a Montlick Attorney Can Help

Although we can’t reverse the tinnitus, what we can do is work to improve your chances of recovering fair compensation. Our team of dedicated lawyers aggressively pursue your right to compensation if you’ve developed ringing in the ears after a car accident. A few ways we’ll do this is by:

  • Collecting all relevant medical evidence: Medical records are essential for establishing damages in a personal injury lawsuit. This may include notes from your doctor or the hearing specialist that diagnosed you. We work to ensure they’re preserved promptly to remain valid throughout your legal proceedings.
  • Gathering accident reports: Your attorney from Montlick will obtain the car accidents report from the police and other emergency personnel that were present on scene.
  • Collecting video evidence: Video evidence may include dash cam footage, CCTV, traffic cams, and more.
  • Speaking with witnesses: Your attorney will work hard to track down witnesses to your accident. For cases involving tinnitus, witness statements could include friends and family who have observed how your condition has affected you.

 
The Montlick legal team can:

  • Identify all of your accident-related losses
  • Gather evidence
  • Determine who’s responsible
  • Obtain proof of your losses
  • File your case
  • Deal with attorneys for defendants in your case
  • Organize all case-related materials
  • Negotiate a settlement
  • Proceed to trial if necessary

 
Ringing in your ears after a crash can be painful, frustrating, and disruptive to your daily life. If your tinnitus may be connected to a car accident, Montlick’s experienced personal injury attorneys can help you understand your options. Contact us or call 1-800-529-6333 to speak with an attorney at no cost.

FAQs about Tinnitus and Car Accidents

Can It Be Proven That the Crash Caused My Tinnitus?

To help document that your tinnitus may be related to the crash, seek medical attention as soon as you are able, even if you feel fine. Sometimes ear injuries or TBIs are delayed, meaning you won’t experience symptoms right away. The sooner you seek medical evaluation and begin treatment after the crash, the easier it may be to document that your tinnitus is related to the accident.

Can I File a Claim for Tinnitus Caused by a Car Accident?

Generally yes, you can. You have the right to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party for pain and suffering, as well as medical expenses as long as you can prove they caused the accident. Other than pain and suffering or medical bills, your compensation may also include lost wages.

What Can I Expect During My Legal Case?

To determine if you have a case, speak with an experienced car accident attorney from Montlick as soon as possible. We’ll review the facts and your medical records to advise you on the best course of action. If we determine that we’re able to help, we’ll get to work gathering records, witness reports, and evidence to support your case.