Most car accident victims suffer from concussions, broken bones, or whiplash (or a combination of these three). However, the deployment of an airbag or head and brain trauma can also cause auditory injuries that are often overlooked.

This happens because some hearing issues do not manifest right away. It can take days or even weeks for symptoms like tinnitus, hyperacusis, or vertigo to fully manifest as inflammation settles or nerve damage becomes apparent.

But it’s important to know that not all is lost if your hearing was damaged during a car accident. In today’s piece, we’ll walk you through the steps to take to keep living a normal life and get the proper compensation for your suffering.

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Even if you feel fine, you need to be seen by a medical professional. Adrenaline can mask severe injuries like internal bleeding or concussions, so let paramedics evaluate you on-site. If they don’t consider an ambulance trip necessary, you should still have someone drive you to the nearest ER or a Type 1 Urgent Care Center in the first 72-hours after the accident. 

Once there, tell the attending physician exactly how the impact happened (e.g., "the airbag hit my head," "my neck whipped back"). Mention all physical changes, including delayed symptoms such as ringing in the ears, dizziness, or blurred vision.

You should also ask for a comprehensive hearing evaluation. Even the sound of a front airbag deploying can produce damage since it’s pretty loud (roughly 160 decibels), but anything related to head trauma, including whiplash, can impact your hearing. 

If caught early, some hearing loss can be reversed, but even if you suffer permanent hearing loss, there are solutions to help you live a normal life. Just make sure to document everything and collect copies of your discharge summaries, official diagnoses, prescriptions, and imaging results (X-rays/CT scans). 

Find Legal Representation

Recovering from a car accident is hard enough, so you shouldn’t also have to take on the stress of filing a compensation claim or trying to find the uninsured motorist who turned you into a victim. 

The best move here is to find a reliable car accident lawyer who knows the local system. Plus, if you’re “lucky” enough to deal with a driver without insurance, you’ll need someone with experience in this area, like DM Injury Law uninsured motorist team.

Hand your lawyer(s) everything you have, including medical records, bills, related expenses, treatment recommendations, or medical device (like hearing aid) receipts, and they’ll take over the fight on your behalf. 

According to the Insurance Research Council (IRC), there is a massive disparity in outcomes between self-represented victims and those with counsel. On average, accident victims who hire an attorney receive settlements 3.5 times higher than those who handle claims on their own.

Life Goes On

Sadly, accidents happen. It is indeed unfair to have your life affected by a negligent driver, but don’t let it get you down. There are always solutions to get your life back on track, and a reliable legal team can make sure you, at least, get proper compensation for your troubles.