If you are like many Americans, you take your ability to hear clearly for granted. Still, if you lose your ability to hear, your condition may be impossible to forget. Even worse, you may struggle to form intimate relationships, perform your job duties and enjoy your hobbies.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the ear is a relatively delicate part of the human body. Even if you take steps to protect your ears from loud noises, a motor vehicle accident may forever damage your hearing.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a chronic hearing condition that involves having a ringing or buzzing sound in your ears. Car accidents are a leading cause of tinnitus, as they are often loud events. That is, the noise that is common with car crashes may contribute to the condition. While some treatments are available, you simply may have to deal with ringing ears for the rest of your life.
Deafness
Hearing loss is also common following car accidents. If the accident causes a traumatic injury to your outer or inner ear, you may struggle to hear sounds. Moreover, if your vehicle’s airbag deploys, you may rupture your eardrum. In addition to being excruciatingly painful, a ruptured eardrum may lead to partial or total hearing loss.
Traumatic brain injuries
The signs of a TBI may not appear until hours or even days after a car accident, so you should seek an immediate medical evaluation following a crash. Sadly, if you suffer a TBI to the part of your brain that processes sound, you may never hear correctly again.
Ultimately, because damaged hearing is likely to negatively affect the rest of your life, you may be eligible for significant financial compensation from the driver who causes the accident.
