Can I Sue for Loss of Hearing after an Accident?

Any accident has the potential to leave you with serious injuries of a physical or emotional nature. But we would have to say that fall accidents and car collisions are responsible for some of the most serious injuries we deal with at our law firm. Furthermore, these accidents cause various symptoms and health issues that most people wouldn’t think of, like problems with your hearing. Some level of hearing loss is actually quite common if you hurt yourself from a fall or car crash. However, you likely have concerns about how long you will have to deal with the issue. You probably also have questions about your rights, including how to sue for monetary compensation if the accident was caused by a careless driver or negligent property owner.

No matter the source of injury, seeking medical attention right away is crucial if you notice any changes in your hearing after an accident. This is a common symptom of serious injuries to the ear, and possibly brain damage that can lead to other health issues aside from hearing loss. In the event you were injured due to another party’s failure to exercise reasonable care, we invite you to contact us and schedule a free case review. That way, you can learn about your rights and legal options from one of our legal experts.

Loss of Hearing after a Car Accident

A car accident causes traumatic injuries to many parts of your body, including the ears. In this section, we will cover the three most common injuries from a vehicle accident that can result in hearing loss. There are other conditions that may explain the issues with your hearing, so you will need to see a doctor to verify what injuries you have and how to treat the problem in order to prevent long-term or permanent health compilations.

The most common source of hearing loss after a head-on collision, rollover, rear-end crash and other accidents involving a motor vehicle are as follows:

• Head trauma – A blow to the head during a car crash can cause serious damage to the bones inside your ear. Head trauma from a car accident can also cause traumatic brain injury, and either of these conditions can result in damage to the auditory pathways. This may be why you are having tinnitus and loss of hearing if you were recently involved in an auto accident.
• Airbag deployment – Airbags can reduce the harm to your head, neck, and chest in the event of an accident. However, the sound from an airbag is extremely loud, to the point where it can cause hearing loss. The volume is loudest if the driver and passenger airbags deploy at the same time. The resulting sound will likely exceed 170 dB, which is a problem considering that sounds over 140 decibels can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss.
• Neck injury – whiplash is a neck injury that causes the head to jerk back and forth. This is a very common injury among car accident victims, who can end up with hearing loss from the ear vessels and nerves being damaged. The motions that cause whiplash can also harm the brain if it hits the inside of your skull.

Proving that you sustained hearing loss as a direct result of a car accident can be quite challenging, so you should obtain the services of a skilled car crash injury attorney as soon as possible. Keep in mind that it may not always be a negligent driver that’s responsible when there is a car accident. Perhaps the actual cause has to do with dangerous road conditions, meaning that Caltrans or another government agency neglected to make repairs. In this situation, you may have a liability claim against the government, which involves different procedures than filing an auto accident claim with the other driver’s insurance company.

As you can see, obtaining compensation for an auto accident is not a simple matter, depending on the circumstances. Contacting a motor vehicle accident lawyer is the best way to protect yourself and ensure that you are fairly compensated from an injury claim.

Loss of Hearing after a Slip and Fall

Falling down from slipping on something can cause you to hit your head against the ground or floor. Alternatively, your head can strike an object or surface that’s in the way, and as a result, you can end up with TBI, or traumatic brain injury. An injury to the brain can result in many symptoms, including loss of hearing, headaches, dizziness, nausea, and tinnitus (a ringing sound in the ears).

Hearing loss can take time to develop, so it may be a while after your accident before you receive an official diagnosis. The good news is that early intervention can help restore your hearing, even if it’s not at the level it was prior to being injured. So, we implore you to see a doctor right away if you have a trip and fall or slip and fall accident. Fall-related health conditions that can cause loss of hearing include:

• Bone misalignment in the inner ear – your inner ear has 3 bones that work together to transmit sounds to your brain. When you suffer a blow to the head, it can cause the bones to be misaligned, and this can have an impact on your hearing.
• Damage to the semicircular canals – The semicircular canals are located in the cochlea, which is the cavity of the inner ear. If there is an injury to the semicircular canals, you can experience symptoms like hearing loss, motional sickness, and nausea.

Irregularities inside the ear must be rectified immediately to prevent further damage and permanent loss of hearing. In some cases, you can also end up with irreversible brain damage, so make sure to seek medical attention within the first 48 hours.

Monetary Damages You can Receive

Those who are injured in an accident can recover the cost of medical treatments, but this is not the only compensation they are owed. The exact damages you can seek from a personal injury lawsuit vary on the losses you sustained as a direct result of the accident. With that in mind, it’s essential to go over the details of what happened with a car accident or slip and fall injury lawyer. Otherwise, you could end up with a settlement that’s way less than what you actually deserve.

Categories of payments that can be recovered by those with hearing loss after an accident include:

• Medical expenses, including lifetime care costs for disabling injuries
• Income lost from your job as a direct result of the accident
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Damage to your car, electronics and other belongings
• Legal fees
• Punitive damages

Even if all of these damages don’t apply to you, it’s important to understand the maximum amount you can receive based on your harm and suffering. That’s what we’re here to help you with, so contact us anytime to speak with a slip and fall attorney or a lawyer that specializes in car accidents.

How Long Do I have to Sue for Hearing Loss from an Accident?

If you were injured by someone else’s negligence, you have 2 years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. Please be aware that claims against government agencies and employees must be filed in 6 months. This is a legal requirement regarding legal actions against public entities, like city departments, county sheriff’s departments, and school districts.

Regardless of who you are suing, bear in mind that exceeding the statute of limitations will cause you to lose the right monetary compensation. The court may be willing to grant an extension, but you will have to prove that there were extreme circumstances that prevented you from taking legal action, and this is very difficult to achieve. For more information on the amount of time you have for a fall injury or auto accident claim, give us a call here at our law firm.

Contact Kenmore Law Group

Our vision, hearing, and other senses are normally taken for granted, but there’s no denying the devastation that comes from losing the ability to hear things clearly. If you suffered hearing loss of hearing due to an accident where someone else is at fault, you should explore your available legal options with a personal injury attorney.

Here at Kenmore, we have an experienced team of accident lawyers who are ready to fight for you and the funds you deserve by law. With decades of experience in the recovery of car accident and slip and fall settlements, you can depend on us to secure maximum payment on your behalf. We also have a Zero Fee Guarantee policy, so you are never asked to pay out of pocket to be represented by one of our attorneys. The only payment we receive is a portion of your settlement check, so if we don’t win your case, you pay $0 in legal fees.

To schedule a free case evaluation with a member of our legal team, contact us today.