Violent forces that occur during an accident can cause significant but overlooked damage to delicate areas such as your ear, nose, and throat. Conditions and injuries that you may experience in those areas are important and painful, but proving that you might experience them is harder. Understanding what to do when experiencing these injuries is important to someone's well-being and even their potential case.

Injuries you can Obtain after an Accident

When an accident occurs, you will likely be harmed. No matter how minor or severe an injury may seem, every single one matters when it comes to your health and your claim. Some injuries often go unnoticed or ignored; looking out for these injuries is important. The following injuries may include:

• Hearing Loss
• Tinnitus
• Neck Injuries
• Ear Damage
• Throat Injuries 
• Dizziness

Possible Causes of Hearing Loss and Physical Injury after an Accident

When an accident occurs, multiple factors during the initial crash may cause injury. Examples of this include but are not limited to the following. 

• Whiplash, sudden neck movement, and rapid back-and-forth jolting that can strain the body
• Head trauma from hitting your head against a part of the vehicle
• Direct impact on the skull, ear, and throat from airbag deployment
• Direct trauma to the head and ear from flying debris or side impacts
• Loud collision noises
• Airbag deployment sounds and speeds

Ways Accidents Can Cause Damage to Hearing

There are many different ways accidents can cause hearing damage. Post-accident injuries to your ear may cause chronic pain, psychological pain, and may affect your lifestyle. Examples of this may include:

• Temporary hearing loss
• Permanent hearing loss
• Hearing Impairment
• Deafness
• Muffled and foggy hearing
• Loss of hearing clarity
• Loss of hearing in one or both ears

Understanding if you Developed Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a phantom sound that can develop after an accident due to damage to the ear. This sound can be loud or soft, constant or intermittent, low or high pitch, and can last for many months. Phantom sounds can occur in one or both ears and may sound like buzzing, ringing, blowing, humming, hissing, clicking, roaring, sizzling, or whistling.

Diagnosis and Treatment from an Audiologist

Seeking medical attention after any accident is highly recommended. For injuries of the ear, experts suggest seeking an audiologist. They will be able to conduct tests, scans, and give reports of detailed measures of hearing loss and causes of the hearing loss. When it comes to building a case, having access to documentation that proves your injuries and the cause of them may extremely help the case. 

Understanding if you are Exhibiting Dizziness

Dizziness is a common but often disregarded symptom of injuries after an accident. Dizziness often comes from whiplash, the violent, rapid movement that can disrupt blood flow to the auditory system. It can also occur due to high-force impact to the temporal bone, a dense bone at the base of the skull, which leaves the inner ear vulnerable and often comes with dizziness. Some signs and symptoms of dizziness include:

• Feeling off-balance
• Feeling lightheaded
• Experiencing vertigo, a sensation that the room is spinning
• Experiencing feelings of nausea 

Dealing with Nose Injuries

A broken nose, deviated septum, a septal hematoma, and more injuries to the nose can be sustained during an accident. A direct impact from anything in the car to your nose can cause these injuries, which are prone to pain, bleeding, and swelling. Getting help from a medical expert is highly recommended when it comes to these injuries, especially if one of the following occurs:

• Nosebleeds
• Crooked, twisted, or deformed nose
• Trouble breathing
• Pain and swelling around the bridge and face

Dealing with Throat Injuries

Throat injuries from an accident may be due to a fracture from an impact of a seatbelt or steering wheel, vocal cord paralysis due to nerve damage, and tissue swelling. Getting help from an expert after experiencing injuries in your throat after an accident is highly recommended. Some signs of throat injuries to look out for after an accident include:

• Trouble breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty or pain while swallowing
• Bruising and swelling of the neck
• Coughing up blood

The Importance of Speaking to a Legal Professional

Victims who suffered in accident-related hearing loss, tinnitus, or any other injuries due to the negligence of another may be compensated. Victims may be entitled to pursue a personal injury claim to seek that compensation they deserve. Proving that you have experienced any of these injuries may be challenging, as symptoms may not appear on any scans, causing insurance companies to downplay your injuries and claims. Having a legal professional allows you to deal with the following legal processes and more with an expert:

• Understanding recoverable damages, whether it’s economic, non-economic, or punitive damages
• Calculating damages
• Gathering evidence, such as accident reports, medical records, witness statements, expert opinions
• Negotiating with insurers
• Litigating at trial

How KAASS LAW Can Help

At KAASS LAW, we are determined to help victims who are facing a challenging time. We can evaluate your situation and explain the legal process to help you better understand the correct ways to proceed. Our legal team understands that every case is different and presents its own unique facts and legal considerations. Contact KAASS LAW today for a confidential consultation.