A personal injury to the ear involves damage to the outer ear, ear canal or eardrum could result in temporary or permanent hearing loss. No matter the specific scenario in which your ear injury occurred, such as a sporting accident or an accident at work, you deserve to receive compensation if the accident was not your fault. 

Make a claim now by calling 0333 358 2345 or contacting us  online.

About Ear Injuries

Ear injuries happen for many different reasons but if the ear injury that you have experienced is due to someone else’s negligence, there is a possibility you could be able to claim compensation as a result. 

A blow to the side of your head could bruise the skin or cause a blood clot to form in the outer ear. A direct impact to the head like this could also cause there to be increased air pressure inside of the ear canal, which could cause the eardrum to rupture or it could cause the tiny bones in the ear canal that transmit sound to become damaged. 

Excessively loud noise can also increase air pressure inside of the ear canal, resulting in damage to the eardrum and possibly damaging the victim’s ability to hear. 

Another way in which the ear drum could be damaged is through dramatic and unexpected changes in atmospheric pressure. These changes can cause the eustachian tube to compress and prevent air from entering the middle ear, leaving the middle ear unable to adapt fast enough to change in pressure. The pressure difference in the middle of the ear and the atmosphere can cause the eardrum to rupture. This could result in hearing loss as well as a lot of pain and discomfort. 

Similarly, injuries resulting from extreme temperatures such as being burnt or suffering from frostbite could cause significant damage to the outer ear. 

Sporting Injuries

Ear injuries also commonly occur due to injuries in surfing or diving accidents. These mostly consist of perforated eardrums caused by excessive pressure on the inner ear when diving or after being wiped off a surfboard by a wave.

Surfing and swimming in particular can also instigate a chronic condition called surfer’s ear, or swimmer’s ear, which decreases your hearing ability over time. For people with this condition, tiny bone growths occur within the ear canal as a result of cold water, spray and wind gushing in and out of the ear.

Contact sports such as rugby, boxing and wrestling can also cause a condition known as cauliflower ear. This condition occurs when the ear is repeatedly hit and a blood clot forms under the skin or the skin is stripped away from the ear cartilage. This condition causes the outer ear’s shape and structure to become damaged and large lumps form causing the ear to take on the appearance of a cauliflower. 

Industrial Deafness and Acoustic Trauma

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has found that more than 1.1 million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise levels in their workplace. From 2009 to 2018 there were 1,235 new claims for work-related hearing conditions in the Great Britain. Such conditions include tinnitus or industrial deafness, conditions which are more prevalent in industries like manufacturing or the live music industry. 

Acoustic shock is a specific type of industrial deafness that is caused by exposure to a sudden, extremely loud noise such as a gunshot or a blast of loud music. This injury damages the hearing mechanisms within the inner ear, and it is a common cause of sensory hearing loss. Hearing loss is usually partial and temporary but it can be permanent in more severe cases. Other symptoms such as tinnitus can accompany acoustic shock. 

Employees can protect against these sorts of conditions by taking necessary precautions and wearing the correct safety equipment such as earplugs or industrial earmuffs when necessary. Employers should provide and encourage the use of this sort of personal protective equipment to ensure the safety of their staff. 

If your employer has failed to: provide this sort of equipment, carry out productive and regular risk assessments, provide adequate training or fulfil any other necessary safety measures then you may be able to claim against them in response. Your employer has a duty to protect you while you are working, and this duty of care includes protecting your hearing. 

Your ear injury may have been caused after falling on a public pathway that is owned by a local authority. In this case, you may be able to make a claim against the council for your injury due to their failure to make areas under their jurisdiction safe. If you have been physically assaulted, then this claim would go through the Criminal Injury Authority. There are different rules that apply to this sort of claim but a personal injury solicitor can still advise and guide you through the process. 

Amount of Compensation

‘Deafness’ refers to both partial and total hearing loss but when assessing the amount of compensation that someone is owed, there are certain factors that need to be taken into account. The pain and suffering that has been caused by the injury/hearing loss will be taken into account. However, it is also important to consider how the injury has impacted upon someone’s ability to function/their amenity. If this injury has left someone with severe hearing loss, this would be classed as a disability that could impact their future prospects. 

Compensation would therefore also take into account additional factors like the age at which this injury occurred to determine how it would impact upon this person’s life prospects moving forward. Compensation will also take into account any financial losses that have occurred due to the injuries suffered. For example, if you have been unable to work due to your injuries, then compensation could take this into account. To view general compensation estimates for hearing loss injuries, visit our compensation calculator. For tinnitus, the amount awarded could be between £5,590 – £36,310 while for total deafness the amount would likely be between £72,330 – £87,410 for general damage compensation. However, these are just rough estimates that do not fully reflect your individual circumstances. To truly understand how much compensation you are likely to be owed, you should speak directly to us.

Making Personal Injury Claims

You may be entitled to compensation for a range of compensation claims under accident claims. Our experts will help assess your potential claim going forwards and provide you with proficient advice.

Contact First Personal Injury to discuss your potential compensation claim today by ringing 0333 358 2345 or by filling out the online claims form.

To learn more or to start your claim, get in touch with our expert team on 0333 358 2345 or contact us online.