Car Crashes Can Lead To Tinnitus Injuries
When a person has been involved in a car accident, he or she might experience an array of injuries, one of which can include tinnitus. Tinnitus is a symptom that can be associated with head injuries, like those that can occur during a car crash.*
Head injuries can happen during a car accident because of the impact of the collision or due to airbag deployment. In the circumstances of a head injury, some accident victims can sustain an ear injury that carries symptoms of permanent or temporary hearing loss and tinnitus.;
Tinnitus is widely referred to as ringing in the ear. When people have tinnitus, they are experiencing sounds in their ears that are not produced by outside causes; rather, they are hearing noises that are only inside their ears, like ringing, buzzing, or clicking sounds. Most people are probably familiar with the high-pitched ringing that can sometimes inexplicably take over their ears.;
How Do You Prove Tinnitus In A Car Accident Case
Proving tinnitus is tough. It is fairly easy to prove other injuries, like a broken bone. An X-ray easily shows a jury you suffer from a bone fracture. Even soft tissue injuries can be proven with diagnostic imaging coupled with consistent complaints of pain.
But how do you prove tinnitus? How does one prove hearing loss? Or even a headache? There are some tests that help measure your subjective perception of tinnitus. Unfortunately, there isnt a reliable way to objectively show the existence of tinnitus, but these tests performed by an expert medical professional can help prove your case.
Potential Legal Options For Hearing Loss From A Car Accident
One of the most difficult aspects of securing compensation for hearing loss after a car accident is that tinnitus symptoms and hearing loss may not be immediately noticeable. Symptoms may not appear for several weeks following the accident.
Depending on the steps you take toward recovery after a car accident, such as an insurance claim or a lawsuit against the at-fault driver, your tinnitus or hearing loss symptoms may not start causing you problems or noticeable discomfort until you have already accepted a settlement or case award.
It is essential to seek medical treatment after any caraccident, even if you believe you only suffered minor injuries. If youexperience 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 hearingloss. If your doctor includes hearing loss or persistent tinnitus as a possiblefuture complication from your injuries on your medical report, this documentcould be valuable for securing compensation for your related medical expenses,lost income, and pain and suffering from persistent tinnitus and otherinjuries.
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Colorado Personal Injury Attorney
If you live in Colorado and are looking for representation in a civil litigation case for your tinnitus injury, you will want to look for a personal injury lawyer specifically from a personal injury law firm. These firms employ passionate professionals with years of experience in personal injury law. The;Paul Wilkinson personal injury attorneys;from the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm, LLC offer premier legal services to injury victims and guarantee you will receive the best settlement for your case.
The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm is an elite plaintiffs personal injury firm and they provide the highest level of professionalism from their attorneys. The law firm offers a free consultation for potential plaintiffs, and they dont collect any payment from you unless they win your case. You can be sure you are in great hands for the whole process with attorney Paul Wilkinson and his team.
Attorney Paul Wilkinson has won thousands of personal injury cases, and his years of experience arent just in personal injury law; as a former insurance adjuster, he knows the ins-and-outs of health insurance companies and can help plaintiffs have clear expectations for the outcomes of their case and get you fair compensation. Attorney Paul Wilkinson and his team specialize in Bad Faith Insurance cases, and they know their clients have a reasonable expectation for their insurance company to cover their medical bills and they want to hold these corporations accountable.
What Causes Ringing In The Ears After A Car Accident
Tinnitus is the medical term for ringing in the ears. Pulsatile tinnitus happens when there are problems with blood flow in the neck or face . It sounds like a rhythmic whooshing or pulsing from inside your body.
Non-pulsatile tinnitus noise is much more common. It is non-rhythmic in nature and can be caused by nerve problems and damage to the inner ear.
After an auto accident, either type of tinnitus can happen as a result of trauma to the head and neck.
Whiplash + ringing in the ears
Whiplash can cause ringing in the ears in different ways. There are many nerve fibers and blood vessels in the head and neck that can be damaged by the violent back-and-forth motion of a whiplash injury.
Whiplash can also injure the jaw, leading to ear pain, tinnitus and more. For accident victims who develop whiplash injury syndrome, symptoms like tinnitus and hearing loss can persist for months or even years.
Head trauma + ringing in the ears
Head and brain injuries commonly cause tinnitus in fact, ringing in the ears is one of the symptoms of concussion . Some people also experience increased sensitivity to noise, or hearing loss after head trauma. Tinnitus can result from damage to the inner ear and/or the auditory cortex in the brain after hitting your head.
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Hearing Loss After A Car Accident
Hearing loss can be caused by injuries from a car crash or other accident, typically as the result of head trauma or airbag deployment.
Head injuries can cause hearing loss when:
- The bones in the middle ear are fractured
- The cochlea is fractured
- The temporal bone is fractured
- The brain and/or inner ear are bleeding
Airbag deployment can cause hearing loss when the noise from the airbag exploding causes sufficient sound pressure to rupture the eardrum.
What Legal Steps Should I Take Regarding My Tinnitus Injury After My Accident
Contact our office for a free consultation with an experienced attorney as soon as possible after your car accident.; Ideally, you should set up an appointment within one week of the accident for several reasons:
- Insurance companies move fast and begin their investigation of your claim immediately
- It would help if you had legal advice before the first offer the insurance company gives you
- Proceeding without an attorney increases the chances of a mistake that costs you money
Insurance companies sometimes offer fast cash to settle your claim. Dont rush; likely, you dont know yet what the total cost of your injury will be. Many tinnitus ailments cause chronic pain or permanent disability. A lawyer can help you assess the full value of your recovery and help get you the total amount of money you are owed.
If you have been injured in a car wreck contact our office to schedule your free case evaluation. 686-8006;
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Can You Get Tmj From A Car Accident
TMJ is a complex condition that can be rooted in a number of different causes. Maybe youve been clenching or grinding your teeth while you sleep for years, slowly damaging the joints of your jaw over time. Or maybe your jaw simply developed to be misaligned, causing symptoms that worsened over time.
One possible cause of TMJ is trauma to the jaw, damaging the fragile temporomandibular joints and leading to symptoms like jaw pain, headaches, tinnitus, and more. That trauma could come from many places but could it come from a car accident?
Suffering From Tinnitus After A Car Accident
It is not uncommon to suffer from tinnitus following a car accident caused by the trauma of the car crash, the physical impact, noise trauma and/or a brain injury.;
The Hearing Foundation of Canada reports that more than 360,000 Canadians experience tinnitus and almost 50% of those suffering report that the symptoms affect their quality of life.
TINNITUS:; SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Tinnitus is ordinarily the result of an abnormality in the middle or inner ear and occurs when you perceive ringing or other noises in one or both of your ears.; The noise that one hears is not caused by an external sound and cannot be heard by others.; The word tinnitus is derived from the Latin word tinnire, meaning to ring or a ringing.
The symptoms of tinnitus are often described as a ringing in the ears, but can also include buzzing, roaring, clicking, whistling, hissing and humming.; The noises may vary in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal.; Depending upon the type of noise and its volume, the sound can interfere with ones ability to concentrate or hear other external sounds.; Some experience tinnitus all the time and others describe the noise as coming and going.
Tinnitus affects all individuals differently and can significantly affect ones quality of life.; Those that suffer from tinnitus may also experience fatigue, stress, sleep problems, trouble concentrating, memory problems, depression, anxiety, irritability, headaches and problems with work and family life.
RELIEVING TINNITUS
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Types Of Accidents With Tinnitus Risks
The nature or degree of an accident can determine how much damage is done to your body. In most cases, the major cause of injuries and tinnitus during an accident is the collisions force or impact. The most common types of accidents that cause tinnitus are those that are violent. In some cases, however, accidents with minor impact can cause tinnitus. In this case, the tinnitus was not caused by the contact of your head with an object, but by the sudden movement of your head back and forth, which causes some nerves and ligaments to tear and results in tinnitus. Below are some types of car accidents that can cause tinnitus of varying degrees.
Causes Of Hearing Loss
Next, its important to understand the two main types of hearing loss, conductive and sensorineural. First, you have a conductive hearing loss. This type of loss will usually occur if you have an issue with your middle or outer ear.
There are many medical complications that could cause you to experience conductive hearing loss. Causes of conductive hearing loss include but arent limited to:
- Fluid in the middle ear
- Damage to any of the three small middle ear bones
- Unresponsive eardrum
The second type of hearing loss is sensorineural. Problems with your inner ear can cause sensorineural complications. Remember the tiny hair cells found within your inner ear?
The small hairy cells, also known as cilia, are very fragile. If your ears cilia have damage, the sound will have problems reaching your auditory nerve.
Sensorineural hearing loss can be the most detrimental because its a type of nerve damage. The cilia can no longer communicate correctly with your nervous system.
As a result, the individual who suffers from sensorineural problems will have issues hearing high tones.
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Next Steps For Tinnitus Victims
An accurate determination of the extent of your injury, and an understanding of its short and long-term prognosis is critical in informing the actions that you should take.
If you are experiencing ringing in your ears following an accident, your best first step is to contact the tinnitus lawyers at TorkLaw. They have the experience and understanding of the injury to handle your case properly.
Once your case has been accepted, our team will send you to a specialist doctor who will consider both the ear structure and the brain.
Once we have a full understanding of your injury and how it will impact your life today and in the years to come, we will devise a plan to get you the treatment you need and the compensation you deserve.
Can You Get Tinnitus From A Car Accident
If you have been in a car accident where you have hit your head or the airbag deployed, you may experience tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. While tinnitus is not a life threatening injury, it may be distressing and impact a persons quality of life. Here are some things to know about tinnitus, should you or a loved one experience it after a car accident.
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Sensorineural Dysfunction Ringing Caused By Brain Injury
In the case of sensorineural hearing damage, sound reaches the inner ear, but a dysfunction in the cochlea or the auditory nerves prevent the signal from accurately communicating with the brain, or at all.
When the parts of the brain that control hearing are damaged, it is likely that the ringing or other symptoms will be permanent.
Put Our Law Firm’s Over 37 Years Of Legal Experience To Work For Your Case
If you have been injured in any type of accident caused by someone elses negligence, call Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law for your free consultation today. Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout the Southeast for over 37 years, including but not limited to all smaller cities and rural areas in the state.
No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED . You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com;and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour live chat.
*The above blog article discusses the above symptoms associated with ear and head injuries in the context of personal injury claims. ;None of the information above is meant to be construed as medical advice nor should the reader of this article rely on such information. ;Anyone who has suffered a head or ear injury should consult a medical doctor.
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What Its Like To Live With Hearing Impairment
Every persons experience with hearing loss is unique. However, every person with car accident-related hearing loss is experiencing a significant injury. Your life may be different in many ways, and you may suffer from:
- Tinnitus. Tinnitus is ringing, buzzing, humming, clicking, or other noise that only you can hear. It may occur in one or both ears. Tinnitus can interfere with your ability to think and hear, and it may be a permanent condition.
- Partial or complete hearing loss. You may experience partial or complete hearing loss in one or both ears. You may have trouble hearing certain sounds, focusing on speech in noisy environments, hearing speech at low sound levels, or hearing any sound at all. Hearing aids may or may not help with your hearing loss.
Tinnitus, partial hearing loss, or complete hearing loss may leave you unable to work, unable to enjoy the activities that you did before the car accident, and your relationships may suffer.
Can Tinnitus Be Caused By Whiplash In A Car Accident
Youve been in a car accident and suffered a whiplash, plus you have a constant ringing noise in your ears. Your doctor diagnosed tinnitus, and now, you are curious to know if the car accident caused your tinnitus and whether you can file a claim based on this condition.
Yes, you can file a claim for damages for any injury you suffered in a car accident, including tinnitus. One of the causes of tinnitus is whiplash, i.e., head and neck injuries.
The term whiplash typically refers to neck;pain, headaches, and a stiff neck. However, there are other symptoms associated with whiplashes, such as ringing in the ears or tinnitus.
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How Serious Is Tinnitus
While tinnitus can sometimes accompany hearing loss, it is usually more bothersome than serious. It typically goes away after a few days or weeks, but in about 20% of all cases, it is permanent.
Some patients with tinnitus describe it as very distracting. It is sometimes loud enough to affect concentration or interfere with hearing other sounds. When the condition is temporary, this is merely a short-lived inconvenience. For those with permanent tinnitus, it can affect the overall quality of life.
Patients with chronic tinnitus often suffer from stress and fatigue. The condition can disrupt sleep patterns and interfere with concentration and memory. If it is associated with additional injuries to the inner ear, it can result in vertigo .
Because tinnitus is only heard by the affected person, it is difficult to diagnose. Even so, it should be discussed with a doctor. A physician might refer a patient to an audiologist if there is concern that the tinnitus is connected to a more serious hearing issue.
There are no tests to confirm tinnitus, but there are some treatments for chronic cases. Most common are masking devices that attempt to replace the ringing with other sounds. Some people might get some relief simply by using radios or sound machines that produce white noise. In more serious cases, hear-aid type devices might be fitted to help mask the internal noise.
Can You File A Claim For Tinnitus Caused By A Car Accident
Yes, you can file a claim for tinnitus caused by a car accident; however, just like in any personal injury claim, you must meet some legal standards. Louisianas negligence law is codified in;Civil Code Article 2315 ,;which states:;Every act whatever of man that causes damage to another obliges him by whose fault it happened to repair it.
Tinnitus is just like any other injury, it requires proof you have the condition, that the motor vehicle accident caused the disease, and the other party was at fault in causing the accident through his negligence.
To establish your claim, you must show that the negligent conduct was a cause in fact of the harm you suffered, the party had a duty and breached their duty, and finally that you suffered damage because of the breach of the obligation.
Once liability is established, the party at fault is responsible for your losses. The recoverable damages are divided into two categories, special damages, and general damages.
Special damages;are easy to determine. They are the actual hard dollars lost because of the accident. The party at fault is responsible for any medical bills, past and future, past, and future lost wages and any personal expenses you have related to tinnitus.
You are also entitled to recover;general damages.;General damages;are not as simple to value; they include personal losses such as past pain and suffering, future pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
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