Even though you probably do not think much about your ability to hear, hearing affects virtually everything you do. Consequently, if you develop hearing loss, your life may never be the same again. You may also spend a fortune on surgical procedures and hearing aids.
In any car accident, you are vulnerable to both minor and catastrophic injuries. Hearing loss typically falls into the latter category.
Symptoms of accident-related hearing loss
If you have complete hearing loss after a car accident, you are likely to notice immediately. Some signs of hearing loss, though, are either less noticeable or appear days or weeks after a crash. Therefore, you should closely monitor your hearing capabilities for any of the following:
- Muffled sounds
- Ear ringing
- Ear pressure
- Ear pain
- Balance problems
- Nausea
- Headaches
Causes of accident-related hearing loss
During a car accident, your ears are vulnerable to injuries from a few different sources.
First, the explosive sound airbags make when they deploy is loud enough to damage your hearing. As the Center for Disease Control and Prevention notes, any noise over 120 decibels may temporarily or permanently injure your ears. Airbag deployment is approximately 150 decibels.
Likewise, you may sustain ear trauma in an accident when your ear collides with your airbag, steering wheel, side panel or anything else. If you have an ear amputation, your brain may not receive useable sound signals. Whiplash and traumatic brain injuries may affect your ability to hear.
Ultimately, to cope with your post-accident hearing loss, it may be critical for you to seek financial compensation from the driver who caused or contributed to the crash.
