Making a hearing loss claim

Hearing loss and tinnitus following a road accident are both recognised injuries in a road accident claim. Both are assessed with the same seriousness as a more visible injury, once a specialist confirms the diagnosis.

This page explains how hearing-related injuries are evidenced and reflected in a claim.

What a hearing loss injury involves

A direct blow to the head, a ruptured eardrum, or the sudden loud noise of a crash or airbag deployment can all damage hearing. Sometimes there is no external sign of injury at all. Persistent ringing or buzzing, known as tinnitus, often accompanies hearing loss but can also occur on its own.

How it affects daily life and work

Missing parts of conversations, struggling in noisy environments, or being distracted by constant tinnitus can affect concentration, relationships and confidence. This is often more disruptive than people expect. Jobs that rely on phone calls, clear communication or safety-critical listening are often the hardest hit.

The evidence and specialist report you need

An ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist’s report is the key evidence here. It should be supported by an audiogram measuring your hearing across different frequencies. Together these feed into the medical report for your claim. Where tinnitus is present, describe it specifically to the specialist so it is properly recorded.

How it factors into your claim

Pain, suffering and loss of amenities are assessed against the Revised Compendium of Personal Injury Awards and your medical evidence, under section 28A of the Civil Law Act 1956^[1]. The audiogram results and tinnitus both feed into that picture.

Future medical costs, including a hearing aid and its later replacement, may also apply. So may a future earning capacity claim where your job depends on hearing, generally available up to age 60^[2]. How compensation is worked out sets out the fuller framework.

Recovery and prognosis, realistically

Some hearing loss following trauma improves in the weeks after the injury, particularly where the eardrum heals on its own. Inner ear or nerve damage is more likely to be permanent. Tinnitus can settle over time for some people and persist indefinitely for others. A specialist’s honest outlook matters more than hoping it fades.

What to do next

Get an ENT referral and an audiogram as early as possible. A baseline test makes it much easier to track any change in your hearing over time. The general deadline to bring a personal injury claim is six years from the accident^[3]. Hearing-related evidence is strongest while your symptoms and test results are current.

If a hearing aid or other ongoing support is likely, the future care claim explains how that cost is included.