Can You Develop Tinnitus From a Car Accident?

The ringing or other sounds you hear after a car accident may not just be a temporary reaction to the stress. You may be suffering from a serious condition called tinnitus that can impact your hearing and quality of life. Tinnitus is a recognized injury from a car accident, as much as the insurance companies like to dispute what you say you are experiencing.  A car accident lawyer can represent you during the legal process as you seek compensation for tinnitus and other injuries that you have suffered in a crash.

You can suffer damage to your hearing from a car accident in numerous ways. First, some physical contact with your head may affect your hearing. Second, the extreme stress of the car accident could cause a hearing-related condition. Car accidents often have sudden loud and grinding noises that can have lasting impacts on you. Loud noises in any context can often result in ringing in the ears.

Tinnitus Is an Uncomfortable and Difficult Condition

Tinnitus is when you hear sounds in your ears, such as ringing and clicking. You would hear the sound even when nothing is going on around you.  Tinnitus is internal to you, and only you can hear. What makes tinnitus even more challenging is that nobody knows what you are going through because they are not hearing what you are.

Tinnitus is a debilitating condition that can greatly detract from your life quality. You are going through constant discomfort in a way that can gravely impact your mental health. There is often little to nothing that you can do to make the symptoms stop. Instead, they can reappear at a moment’s notice, keeping you from being able to function properly.

Even though researchers are making progress, few treatments are known to be effective for tinnitus. You may need hearing aids or behavioral modifications to help you make some progress.

Tinnitus May Be Difficult to Prove

Tinnitus can present difficult legal issues in a car accident claim. This condition cannot necessarily appear on paper as the result of an “objective” test, like non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Only one “objective” form of tinnitus can clearly show up on a test. Otherwise, doctors may diagnose you with hearing loss because that often accompanies tinnitus.

Otherwise, tinnitus relies on your reports of your own experience. The insurance company May challenge your claim, especially when your condition is not in front of them in black and white. Nonetheless, when you prove you suffer from tinnitus, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation.

Your Financial Compensation for Tinnitus

If you were able to successfully prove that you have suffered tinnitus from a car accident, you could be legally entitled to the following in damages:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Anxiety and depression

It is hard to say how much your case may be worth without knowing the specific facts of your situation. Depending on how seriously you have been impacted, you could be entitled to substantial financial compensation. Your attorney would review your situation to estimate your damages and determine how much you may see from the insurance company.

Contact Our Belleville Car Accident Lawyers at The Cates Law Firm for Help With Your Tinnitus Claim

If you have developed tinnitus or any other medical condition resulting from a crash, contact our Belleville car accident lawyers at The Cates Law Firm.  Our job is to do everything possible to get you the most money for your car accident injuries. To speak to an attorney, call us today at 618-277-3644 or online to schedule a free consultation. Located in Swansea, Illinois, we serve clients in St. Louis, Belleville, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Granite City, Waterloo, Chester, Carbondale, St. Clair County, Madison County, Monroe County, Randolph County, and other regions throughout Southern Illinois.