Is It Normal to Have Ringing in My Ears After a Car Crash?

The “random ringing in your ears” or “ringing ears after car accident” that many people experience is known as tinnitus. This condition is common after a motor vehicle accident, especially if head trauma or chronic neck pain is involved. The middle ear can be affected during a collision, causing people to hear ringing or even experience hearing loss. Recognizing the symptoms and getting medical treatment after a car accident is key to proving that the accident caused your condition and ultimately seeking compensation from the auto insurance company.

Tinnitus is considered a common car accident injury, often appearing alongside other signs of head trauma. A physical examination by a doctor can determine whether the ringing ears after a car accident is due to damage in the middle ear or other neurological issues. Working with an attorney can help you build a strong personal injury lawsuit to recover damages for medical bills, loss of income, and ongoing care. An experienced lawyer can also negotiate with the insurance company to ensure you get a fair settlement and avoid being undervalued by the auto insurance company.

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus after a car is when you hear ringing, humming, buzzing, or other phantom sounds despite no corresponding outside noises in your environment. You may hear tinnitus in a soft or loud tone or a low or high pitch in one or both ears. Severe tinnitus can even interfere with your hearing, which can impact some victims’ ability to work.

How Long Does Ringing Ears Last?

While in most car accidents, victims experience symptoms that go away within 16 to 48 hours, nearly 25 million Americans have experienced at least five minutes of tinnitus at some point in the last year This represents about 10% of the adult population. The Mayo Clinic states that older adults, those with health conditions like cardiovascular disease, and people who work around loud machinery are at an increased risk for tinnitus.

What Causes Tinnitus After a Car Accident?

The underlying causes of tinnitus after a car accident can result from head and neck injuries sustained in a car accident. Additionally, airbags can implode upon impact, making your ears ring.

• Whiplash: A whiplash injury occurs when the neck jerks violently back and forth from sudden acceleration and deceleration—about 50% of people with whiplash recover in the first 3 months without further complications. However, a 2020 study found that approximately 10% of people with whiplash develop tinnitus due to damage to the brain’s auditory pathways resulting from the back-and-forth movement.
• Traumatic Brain Injury: A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can damage the inner ear, nerves that control hearing, and the brain part associated with hearing. About 53% of people with TBIs can develop tinnitus after their traumatic brain injuries. Since car accidents are one of the leading causes of TBIs, according to the CDC, your chances of developing a traumatic injury and tinnitus after a car accident are high.
• Airbag Deployment: An airbag can inflate instantly with large amounts of gas, creating a loud pressure wave at 150 to 170 decibels. This burst of pressure can injure and rupture the inner ear because of the air bag’s impact on the ears, causing tinnitus and even hearing loss.

What Are Symptoms of Tinnitus After a Car Accident?

Tinnitus symptoms after a car accident may vary in intensity and duration. You may experience the following signs that require you to obtain medical attention:

• Ringing, Hissing, and Buzzing: Constant ringing in the ears characterizes tinnitus. You may also hear other noises such as clicks, hisses, humming, and roaring. The noises can also sound like rhythmic whooshing or pulsating sounds in time with the beat of your heart in a condition known as pulsatile tinnitus.
• Ear Pain: Tinnitus is often accompanied by ear pain because the two conditions are linked. Changes in the nervous system that are causing tinnitus can result in ear pain after a car accident for those suffering from it.
• Sleep Problems: People with tinnitus often have insomnia due to chronic fatigue and difficulty falling asleep at night. A 2015 study of tinnitus patients found that 76% of them had insomnia. The distress of living with tinnitus affected their ability to sleep well, which often goes on to further negatively impact victims’ lives during the day.
• Headaches: The trigeminal nerve, one of the largest cranial nerves, releases inflammatory peptides that may cause the throbbing pain of headaches. Frequent migraines, such as may result after a TBI, can cause central sensitization, resulting in tinnitus.

How Long Does Tinnitus Last After an Accident?

Loud noise exposure, such as in a car accident, can cause acute tinnitus that lasts at least 3 to 6 months. Tinnitus lasting over 6 months is considered chronic tinnitus. Some people develop tinnitus gradually, taking several months to years before it aggravates them. The timeline from acute to chronic can go anywhere from 3 to 12 months

How is Tinnitus Diagnosed?

If you are experiencing ringing in your ears after a car accident, you must seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis. Your doctor will examine your head, neck, and ears after a car crash and may perform imaging tests like MRIs or CTs to detect any physical trauma contributing to your tinnitus. Airbag deployment and exposure to loud noises during a motor vehicle crash can damage your hearing, leading to car accident ringing in one or both ears.

If you have recently been in a car crash, it’s crucial to inform your doctor and provide detailed medical records. This documentation can support your car accident case by proving that the head injury sustained during the accident caused your tinnitus. In severe cases, your doctor may recommend tinnitus retraining therapy or hearing aids to treat tinnitus and improve your quality of life.

An experienced attorney can use this information to build a strong case for fair compensation. This includes covering lost wages, ongoing medical care, and rehabilitation expenses. In motor vehicle crash cases, insurance negotiations often involve dealing with other insurance companies that may attempt to minimize your claim. However, a skilled lawyer can ensure you are compensated appropriately for the harm caused by auto accidents, helping you secure the settlement you need to cover your medical expenses and recovery.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Wagner Reese

Seeking compensation after a car accident can help with personal injury claims like TBI and associated conditions such as tinnitus and permanent hearing loss. Working with personal injury lawyers can assist in securing a settlement for the damages caused by the inner ear injury. Contact the Indiana car accident lawyers with Wagner Reese after your accident to discuss your case. We can help you understand your legal options for compensation and seek a tinnitus car accident settlement on your behalf for your injuries and how they have affected your mental health, physical health, and ability to work.

Speak to one of our staff members through our online chat or request a free case evaluation through the online contact form today.