If your ears have been ringing since a car accident, tell the clinician treating you. Describe when you first noticed it, which ear is affected, and whether your hearing has changed. Ringing may be your most noticeable symptom, but the examination needs to consider what is causing it.
There is one situation where you should not wait for a routine appointment: sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders warns that delaying evaluation and treatment can reduce the chance of recovering hearing. An ear that suddenly feels blocked or sounds muffled deserves attention, even if you think it is only wax or congestion.
What the ringing can tell you
The medical name is tinnitus. It can sound like ringing, buzzing, hissing, or another noise with no outside source. It may affect one ear or both, stay constant, or come and go. According to NIDCD’s tinnitus guidance, most tinnitus is subjective, meaning only the person experiencing it can hear the sound. That description does not mean the person is imagining it.
Tinnitus has several possible causes. Head or neck trauma can affect the hearing system. Noise exposure, hearing loss, medications, earwax, infections, and jaw problems can also contribute. The fact that ringing began after a wreck matters, but timing alone does not identify the injured structure or establish what caused the symptom.
Tell your doctor about the collision and about anything that might complicate the picture. Did an airbag deploy? Did your head strike something? Was there immediate ear pain? Had you experienced ringing before? Were you recently exposed to loud equipment or taking a new medication? A complete history helps the doctor sort through the possibilities.
What about airbag noise?
A single intense burst of sound can injure hearing; it does not take years of exposure. NIDCD explains how impulse noise can damage the ear. That makes a loud event during the crash relevant to the medical history. It does not mean every airbag deployment causes an ear injury, or that an airbag photo proves the cause of one person’s tinnitus.
Preserve photographs showing which airbags deployed and where you were seated. Tell the doctor what you remember hearing and feeling. If you do not remember the impact clearly, say so. You do not need to fill in missing details to give a useful history.
When ringing comes with other symptoms
After a crash, seek emergency care for a worsening headache that will not go away, repeated vomiting, new weakness or numbness, slurred speech, marked confusion, seizures, or difficulty waking. These are among the CDC’s head-injury danger signs. Do not drive yourself if you are dizzy, confused, or otherwise impaired.
Tell your provider promptly about dizziness, ear pain, hearing changes, or a sound that seems to beat in time with your pulse. Different combinations can lead to different examinations and referrals. If the room seems to spin or you are losing your balance, our explanation of tinnitus and vertigo after a crash addresses those symptoms together. Headache, memory trouble, and confusion also warrant attention; our concussion guide explains what to report after a collision.
What an ear examination and hearing test can establish
Your clinician may examine your ears, review medications and prior hearing problems, and refer you to an ear, nose, and throat physician or an audiologist. An audiologist evaluates hearing and related symptoms. An ENT can investigate possible underlying conditions and decide whether additional testing is appropriate.
A hearing test can document hearing loss. It does not automatically establish when that loss began, and it is not a simple test of whether someone is telling the truth about ringing. The results need to be considered with the examination, history, and other findings. If you have older hearing tests, including occupational screenings, tell your provider where they can be obtained.
Imaging is a separate decision. NIDCD notes that an ENT may order imaging, particularly for tinnitus that pulsates. A doctor should decide what is warranted for your symptoms. Do not seek an MRI or another test merely because you think it will make an insurance claim stronger.
Treatment also depends on what the evaluation shows. Treating an identifiable cause may help. For persistent tinnitus, options can include sound therapy, hearing aids when hearing loss is present, and counseling to reduce how much the symptoms disrupt daily life. There is no general cure that works for everyone. Discuss treatment with your provider rather than relying on a supplement advertised as a cure.
Describe what changed, including what did not
“My ears ring” is a useful starting point. For follow-up care and an injury claim, a few more details can explain the actual problem:
- When you first noticed the sound and whether it was present before the crash.
- Whether it affects one ear or both and whether it is constant or intermittent.
- Any accompanying hearing loss, dizziness, headache, or ear pressure.
- Specific effects on sleep, conversations, concentration, and work.
- What treatment you have tried and whether it helped.
Keep brief, dated notes in your own words. If you slept well one night, record that too. If the sound changed from ringing to buzzing, describe the change rather than trying to make every entry identical. Accuracy matters more than a polished account.
Prior tinnitus does not make the comparison pointless. The question may be what became worse after the collision. Earlier records can show the previous frequency, severity, and effect on daily life. Omitting a known hearing problem makes that comparison harder.
If a visit note is inaccurate, ask the provider about its correction process. Do not change the record yourself or ask someone to backdate a complaint. Likewise, if you could not attend treatment because of cost, transportation, or a referral delay, keep a record of that obstacle and discuss alternatives with the provider.
How the medical history fits an injury claim
Louisiana’s fault rule in Civil Code article 2315 requires a connection between the defendant’s conduct and the harm claimed. A tinnitus diagnosis addresses a medical question. Crash evidence helps address who caused the collision. Medical records, the symptom timeline, and appropriate professional opinions help address whether the collision caused or worsened the condition.
A normal test result should be understood for what that particular test measures. It should not be treated as proof that every reported symptom is false. The opposite is also true: an abnormal hearing test does not by itself prove that the crash caused the abnormality. A careful evaluation has to consider both the supporting evidence and other possible explanations.
Save the crash report, available video, photographs, witness information, treatment records, bills, and proof of missed work. If a vehicle inspection may matter, have your lawyer address preservation before repairs or disposal. Medical care should never wait on that process. Our Baton Rouge car accident lawyers can evaluate the collision evidence alongside the medical record.
Be careful about settling while you are still learning whether the ringing will persist or require further treatment. A release can resolve claims more broadly than you expect. Have its terms and the remaining medical uncertainty explained before signing.
The crash date matters under Louisiana law
Civil Code article 3493.1 provides a general two-year period for delictual claims, usually measured from when injury or damage is sustained. Act 423 of 2024 made the change prospective, effective July 1, 2024. Do not apply the two-year rule automatically to an older accident. Particular defendants and claims can also raise different requirements.
The comparative-fault rule changed effective January 1, 2026. Under the current article 2323, a claimant whose negligence is 51 percent or more is barred from recovery; below that threshold, damages are reduced by the claimant’s share of negligence. The law applicable to your accident needs to be checked rather than assumed from today’s statute.
If you need help evaluating a crash claim involving ringing or hearing changes, call 225-500-5000. Bring the records you have and explain what is still being evaluated. You do not need to have a final diagnosis before asking about the claim or its deadline.