Recovering Compensation for Hearing Loss Caused by a Georgia Car Accident

Key Points:

• Head trauma, loud noises, and whiplash injuries that happen in auto accidents are known to contribute to temporary or permanent hearing loss.
• Proving that hearing loss was caused by a car accident, and not by a pre-existing condition or aging can be challenging.
• Georgia personal injury cases involving hearing loss may have significant verdict or settlement value.
• It is always a good idea to consult with an experienced attorney before you settle an accident claim, particularly when hearing loss is involved.

What Is Your Hearing Worth?

It’s nearly impossible to imagine putting a price on your hearing loss. Personal injury lawyers with experience in hearing loss cases have the training and tools to help prove that your hearing loss was caused by the trauma of your accident.

The Millar Law Firm has three decades of experience and has handled dozens of hearing loss cases. Let us put our years of experience to work for you and your family.

You May be Entitled to Compensation for Hearing Loss Caused by an Injury

Although motor vehicle insurance companies may argue that hearing loss has been caused by pre-existing conditions or aging, it is possible to prove that a car, truck or motorcycle accident caused your hearing loss.

How Car Accidents Can Damage a Person’s Hearing

While hearing loss can be due to genetics, disease or aging, sudden hearing loss can also happen because of head trauma. The impact of a car accident can lead to damage to the head and ears, resulting in temporary or permanent hearing loss. Here are several known ways hearing damage can happen in a crash:

• Airbags are meant to save lives and generally do just that. However, the powerful impact of the airbag when it deploys can create an explosive-like sound – loud enough to damage the ears. This loud sound often causes ringing or pain in the ears. In serious collisions, the airbag can also hit your head directly, causing hearing loss.
• Whiplash is a common car accident injury, which typically happens when the neck and head are shaken violently back and forth. This sudden movement can cause damage to the soft tissues and muscles of the neck. Depending on its severity, whiplash can also damage the inner ear.
• Loud noises and violent impacts in car accidents can cause ear damage. A decibel level of 120 to 140 is considered the “pain threshold” where ear damage can occur.
• Head trauma can happen when accident victims slam their heads into the steering wheel, windshield, or any other hard material in the car. Such impact can damage the eardrum or break the delicate bones within the inner ear, leading to auditory loss.

Even mild head trauma can result in the following ear injuries:

• Disruption of blood to the spiral cavity of the inner ear, which produces nerve impulses in response to sound vibrations allowing us to hear.
• A ruptured ear drum, which is a tear in the thin tissue that separates the ear canal from the middle ear perforation.
• Damage to the small bones around the middle ear.
• Damage to the inner membranes and tissues.

Symptoms Associated with Hearing Loss

The following symptoms can indicate an ear injury that can cause hearing loss:

• Dizziness
• Difficulty balancing
• Pain in one or both ears
• Muffled sounds
• Loss of hearing or difficulty distinguishing voices
• Ringing in your ears, also called tinnitus
• Painful burning or itching inside your ears
• Feeling pressure or fullness in one or both ears

Medical Specialists to See for Hearing Loss After a Car Accident

Immediately after an accident that causes damage to the ears and hearing, victims might see an otolaryngologist, commonly referred to as an ENT, in the emergency room. An ENT is a physician who provides medical and surgical care, diagnosis, and treatment for issues involving the ears, nose, and throat.

After emergent care, victims are often referred to an audiologist, who primarily treats hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance issues.

How An Experienced Attorney Can Help

Our legal team will gather and review your past and current medical records to gain an understanding of your medical history and how you were injured in your motor vehicle accident. We will meet with your medical providers to receive reports or testimony that can be used to prove to an insurance company or, if necessary, a Judge and Jury that your hearing was damaged in the crash.

We will present your damages and work to recover all of the past and future damages and compensation that you deserve.

Need legal help after an accident?

The Millar Law Firm offers free consultations to accident victims so you can learn about your legal options and the potential value of your case. If you have suffered a hearing loss or other injury in a Georgia car or truck accident, we can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Don’t wait to call us. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can start working on your case. Call us today at (770) 400-0000 to schedule your free consultation.

We are here to help you get the compensation you deserve.