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Maybe you were driving your car or were a passenger in a car when the vehicle you were in collided with a large truck. Due to the sheer size difference between your vehicle and a large semi, it is likely the airbags deployed and you suffered a powerful blow. During the immediate aftermath of the crash, you may have been focused on your visible injuries and were so overwhelmed that you didn’t realize you were experiencing a ringing in your ears. However, in the days and weeks after the accident, you have noticed that you have a high-frequency noise in your ears that doesn’t go away. What is it? Could this noise be a result of the accident?
When airbags deploy with a high sound pressure level, it can cause tinnitus – which is a persistent ringing in the ears. While airbags are helpful in saving your life, the sound explosion from an airbag can actually cause ear damage, such as loud ringing or even hearing loss.
A Closer Look at Tinnitus
Because ringing in the ears can be so severe and persistent, it can make some people unable to sleep, work, or function normally. While no actual sound is present in the ears, a person with tinnitus perceives the high-frequency sound as being there. For this reason, this type of injury cannot be measured—which makes it hard to prove following a truck crash because the condition doesn’t show up on X-rays, CT scans, or MRI tests.
However, if other ear damage or a fracture of the middle or inner ear occurs, an X-ray or CT scan should be able to verify the fracture. This would allow a doctor to associate the ringing in your ears and hearing loss to your crash. But there are many people who suffer tinnitus without an ear bone fracture.
What to Do If You Suspect Tinnitus
If you have buzzing or a high-frequency noise in your ears, it is important to be persistent with doctors and make sure your injury is noted in your medical record. Because tinnitus can actually lead to a noise-induced hearing loss, it may be in your best interest to see an ear, nose, and throat doctor to see if he or she has any new methods of diagnosing tinnitus or treating it.
After suffering tinnitus or a hearing loss of any kind as a result of an accident with a semi truck, you should seek legal counsel. An attorney experienced in truck accident cases can help strengthen your case and fight to get you the compensation you deserve. If you have questions about pursuing a truck accident lawsuit, you can get most of your questions answered by reading a free copy of our book, What You Need to Know After a Florida Auto, Truck, or Bike Accident.
