Ear Injury Claims Guide – How To Claim? – How Much Compensation Can I Claim?

By Megan Swan. Last updated 9th December 2022. Welcome to our ear injury claims guide. In it, we explain how much compensation could be appropriate for claims for hearing loss and ear damage.

In any type of accident, if you suffer a loss of hearing and the accident was caused by somebody else, you might be entitled to compensation. Whether you suffer an ear injury such as an ear bone injury, tinnitus, an ear cartilage injury or a perforated eardrum, you may be entitled to compensation.

Man putting his hand on his ear after an ear injury

Compensation for ear injury claims ranging from cases of total deafness to industrial deafness could be easier if you have a specialist personal injury lawyer on your side. In this guide, we’ll cover some of the more common ear injury causes, what to do if you’re involved in an accident and how much compensation you could be entitled to.

We could help you begin a no win no fee compensation claim today. If you’re ready to find out how, please call 0800 073 8801 to speak with a specialist.

To find out more about ear injuries and the personal injury compensation amounts associated with them, please continue reading.

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A Guide To Ear Injury Compensation Claims

If you have been injured in an accident at work, on the road or elsewhere, you may be eligible to claim compensation. If you have suffered an ear injury from getting hit by a car, or due to inadequate safety equipment, you could suffer a variety of consequences, such as hearing loss or a bruised ear canal.

However, no matter when or where you suffered your injury, you must meet the following criteria to be eligible for compensation:

  1. A third party owed you a duty of care.
  2. This duty of care was breached.
  3. You suffered harm because of this.

Throughout this guide, we will discuss when you might be owed a duty of care and what this could entail. Additionally, we will explore the various ear injuries that you could suffer and how much compensation you could receive following a successful claim.

Do not hesitate to contact our advisors today if you are wondering whether a claim could be made for a bruised outer ear or another ear injury.

What Are Ear Injuries?

Before we look at ear injury claims, let’s first take a look at what these types of injuries could involve.

There are numerous different types of ear injury that can occur with many different causes. We’ll cover many of them throughout this guide.

Outer ear injuries are those that happen to the part of the ear that’s visible. Outer ear injuries can include bruising and lacerations but don’t necessarily affect the hearing. Middle and inner ear injuries are those that do cause problems with the hearing and can be caused by foreign objects entering the ear or exposure to prolonged exposure to loud noise.

An ear injury can cause a lot of pain, but it could also cause confusion and disorientation depending on the cause and the part of the ear affected.

Causes Of Ear Injuries?

There are many causes of injury that could give you grounds to make an ear injury claim.

There are a number of ways an ear injury can occur, probably too many to list here. Over the coming sections though, we’ll cover some of the more common causes. These include sports accidents, road traffic collisions and accidents at work.

If your ear injury has been caused by something other than the accidents we’ve listed, don’t worry. You could still begin a claim so long as you can explain how it was caused by somebody else’s negligence. Please get in touch and explain what happened to one of our specially trained experts.

Workplace Ear Injuries And Hearing Loss

When you are at work, your employer owes you a duty of care to protect your safety and well being. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, they should highlight any dangers (using risk assessments) and take steps to remove or reduce them.

You could suffer two types of ear injury while at work:

  • An ear injury caused by trauma. This could happen if you’re involved in an accident at work such as a fall, a collision with a vehicle, an item falling from a height or any other type of impact to the head or ear.
  • Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Some workplaces, such as factories, building sites or warehouses have very loud equipment and machinery. In the short term, the noise is unlikely to affect you but over longer periods can lead to an ear injury, tinnitus and partial or complete hearing loss.

Under the workplace legislation, your employer should try to:

  • Ensure the workplace is generally safe to try and prevent accidents from happening.
  • Provide safety measures like ear defenders or earplugs.
  • Allow you adequate breaks, in quiet areas, away from the noisy part of the workplace.
  • Rotate your work duties where possible to reduce the amount of constant exposure to noise.

If you’ve suffered an injury at work which has caused an ear injury or NIHL, please call to see if we could help you make ear injury claims.

Ear Injuries Caused By Road Traffic Accidents

During a road traffic accident, whether you’re a pedestrian, driver, passenger, cyclist or motorcyclist, you could suffer an ear injury. This could be a laceration, bruising or other damage to the outer ear, a foreign object could enter the middle ear, or you could sustain an inner ear injury caused by trauma to the head.

If you believe your accident was caused by another road user, try to photograph the scene of the accident before any vehicles are removed. Also, seek medical treatment, gather witness statements and ask the other road user for their details. these things could give your ear injury claim a  better chance of success.

Ear Injuries Caused By Sports Accidents

Different sports can cause different types of injuries to the ear. For instance, in rugby, cauliflower ear is very common. Bruising to the ear could occur in football where a stray arm catches the head and games involving sticks, such as hockey, could lead to serious outer ear injuries if hit.

With sports like divining, trauma injuries are much less common. It’s more likely a perforated eardrum will occur because of excessive pressure.

If you believe you’ve suffered a sports injury to your ear, because of somebody else’s negligence (which could include a deliberate act, a lack of supervision or a lack of training), contact us today. We’ll assess your case for free to see if you could have grounds to make ear injury claims.

What Are The Symptoms Of An Ear Injury?

Depending on the type of ear injury, the symptoms you’re exposed to may differ. For inner ear and middle injuries the symptoms can include:

  • Problems with vision including the ability to focus.
  • Feeling light-headed or dizzy.
  • Fatigue, headaches, vomiting or nausea.
  • Hearing buzzing or noises which aren’t there.
  • Unsteadiness or vertigo.
  • Pain inside of the ear.

For ear trauma injuries, the symptoms can include:

  • Outer ear pain.
  • Bruising of the outer ear.
  • Soreness and tenderness.
  • Bleeding of the ear lobe or ear tissue.
  • Pain around the ear or when the ear is touched.
  • Redness of the outer ear.

You should seek medical attention following an accident involving the ears. This will allow a proper diagnosis to be undertaken. It will also mean that, if you go on to make an ear injury claim, you could use the medical records as evidence of your injuries.

What Are Outer Ear Injuries?

Outer ear injuries are those which affect the visible part of the ear on the outside of the head. They include cuts, lacerations, bruising and tenderness. In general, outer ear injuries are commonly caused in sporting accidents, workplace accidents and road traffic accidents.

This type of injury may require cosmetic treatment to remove any lasting scarring or visible signs of the accident.

What Are Middle Ear Injuries?

Trauma to the middle ear isn’t as easy to rectify in some situations. It can be caused by foreign objects getting into the ear and damaging the tympanic membrane, the external ear canal and causing damage to the tiny bones used by the ear to help decipher different sounds.

What Are Inner Ear Injuries?

It’s unusual for the inner ear to be damaged by penetration because it’s quite well protected. That said, it’s not impossible for it to be damaged in this way. A more likely scenario though is for the inner ear to be damaged by a very loud noise. That could be an explosion, a gunshot or the impact of a large item falling very near to the victim. It can be very tricky to treat inner ear injuries and they can have long term effects on the victim.

Please read on for more about ear injury claims.

Medical Treatment And Potential Complications

In the first instance, treatment of an ear injury could be simple first aid. For instance, a professional could:

  • Remove any foreign body with tweezers if it’s visible and easy to access.
  • If there’s an insect in the ear, turn the patients head to allow the insect to leave.
  • Cover any laceration to the outer ear with a sterile dressing, applying pressure to stop the bleed.
  • If there is bleeding or leakage from the ear, cover it with a cloth (outside the ear, not in the ear canal) and have the patient lay with the ear facing down to allow the leakage to drain properly.

You shouldn’t put your fingers in the ear because a foreign body could be pushed further in or an insect could sting, causing further problems.

Failing first aid, a medical assessment, probably by a GP at first, would be required.  For injuries like an ear perforation, it may just be a matter of waiting for it to heal itself. The doctor could give antibiotics to prevent infection, but then wait for healing to occur.

As mentioned earlier, inner ear trauma damage can be very tricky to repair. Therefore, a cochlear implant may be required. An implant won’t make the hearing the same as before the injury but will allow an improvement by amplifying sounds and sending them to the nerves used for hearing.

Whatever type of treatment you’ve received, if your hearing has been affected by an accident caused by somebody else, or your outer ear has been damaged, you could be able to seek compensation for your injuries. Speak with an advisor for free advice about whether you could have grounds to make an ear injury claim.

Ear Injury Compensation Claims Calculator

When we’re asked about how much compensation a client might receive, we have to be honest and say that every case is different. Therefore, until we’ve assessed your ear injury claims, it’s impossible to give an estimate on how much they could yield.

However, to show what type of compensation can be awarded for different injuries, we’ve listed some amounts in our personal injury compensation calculator table below:

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Injury Type Details Amount
Total Deafness and Loss of Speech Complete loss of hearing with speech development impacted, potentially due to a rubella infection. £109,650 to £140,660
Total Deafness The higher range in this bracket includes total deafness, in both ears, causing both tinnitus and speech impairment. £90,750 to £109,650
Total Loss of Hearing In One Ear The higher range in this bracket includes total deafness in a single ear and problems including dizziness, headaches or tinnitus. £31,310 to £45,540
Partial Hearing Loss and/or Tinnitus (i) The person suffers with severe noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and tinnitus. £29,710 to £45,540
Partial Hearing Loss and/or Tinnitus (ii) Moderate tinnitus and NIHL together or alone. £14,900 to £29,710
Partial Hearing Loss and/or Tinnitus (iii) Mild tinnitus with slight NIHL. £12,590 to £14,900
Partial Hearing Loss and/or Tinnitus (iv) Mild tinnitus or mild NIHL. Around £11,720
Partial Hearing Loss and/or Tinnitus (v) Slight NIHL with occasional tinnitus. £7,360 to £12,590
Partial Hearing Loss and/or Tinnitus (vi) Slight tinnitus with no NIHL or the other way around. Up to £7,010
Less Severe Psychiatric Damage How much sleep and other activities were affected as well as the length the person suffered will affect how much is awarded. £1,540 to £5,860

As you can see, the amount of compensation awarded depends on how severe your injuries were. Therefore, your solicitor will use medical evidence and reports to show exactly what injury you suffered, how it has affected you and what impact it might have on you in the future to ensure you receive the right level of compensation.

While the calculator does mainly cover compensation for hearing loss, you can claim for any type of ear injury caused by somebody else. The best way to find out how much you could claim would be to call an advisor.

Claims For Hearing Loss – What You Could Claim For Ear Damage

If you intend to make claims for hearing loss or ear damage, there are various different damages you could claim. As we mentioned in the section above, you could claim for pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by your injury. These are known as general damages.

You could also claim special damages. In personal injury claims, you might suffer financial harm due to your injuries. If you can successfully prove that the costs and losses experienced were due to the injuries caused by someone’s negligence, you could claim for them. This is because the aim of a personal injury compensation payout is to return the claimant to as close of a position as possible as they would’ve been in if the negligence had not occurred.

What Could Special Damage In Claims For Hearing Loss Include?

Special damages can vary between hearing loss and damage claims. They could include:

  • Care costs – if you require care at home due to you being unable to perform daily activities because of your injury, you could claim care costs.
  • Travel expenses – you might incur travel expenses to visit the hospital or attend other medical appointments. You could also claim if you need to travel to see your lawyer as part of your claim.
  • Medical expenses – whilst most NHS care is free, in some cases, you might incur medical costs. You could claim for these within a personal injury claim.
  • Loss of earnings – both actual and projected future loss of earnings could feature in claims for hearing loss and ear damage. If you are unable to work because of your injuries and your pay is affected, you could claim for this.

If you would like further advice on what you could include within claims for hearing loss or ear damage, please call us. We would be happy to talk to you about your claim.

No Win No Fee Ear Injury Accident Claims

When considering making ear injury claims, many people worry about the cost of using a solicitor. That’s completely understandable and it’s why our panel of accident claim solicitors work on a no win no fee basis.

A no win no fee agreement (legally known as a conditional fee agreement or CFA) allows more people to claim because it reduces the financial risk and means they don’t need to find funds to pay the solicitor at any point. That’s because:

  • You don’t pay an upfront fee.
  • You won’t pay anything if the solicitor loses the case.
  • If the case is won, the success fee used to pay the solicitor is deducted straight from your compensation.

This means, for many, the claim is a lot less stressful. They’ll know, from the outset, what success fee they’ll pay (capped at a small rate) and that they won’t need to pay that themselves as it’s taken from the compensation.

Why Choose Accident Claims UK To Handle Your Ear Injury Claim?

Accident Claims UK is happy to help with any ear injury claims. We have a team of friendly and professional specialists. They will happily provide you with free legal advice about your claim and provide a free assessment too. In the assessment, they’ll look at what happened, what evidence you have to support the claim and how the injuries affected you.

If they agree that you have a chance of winning compensation, they could introduce you to one of our panel of personal injury solicitors. If they take on your case it will be on a no win no fee basis.

The solicitor will be dedicated to trying to ensure you receive the right level of compensation for your injuries. They’ll use their experience (some have up to 30 years) and their understanding of UK legislation to try and answer any objections raised by the defendant’s legal team.

How a solicitor will conduct your ear injury claim

When you begin an ear injury claim, there is a lot of work that’s required before you send the file to the defendant or their insurer. If your case is accepted by one of our experienced solicitors, they will:

  • Conduct a thorough investigation into your ear injury claim to learn why it happened and how you were affected.
  • Work hard to secure evidence that substantiates your claim.
  • Arrange for you to see an independent ear specialist so that the extent of your injuries can be assessed.
  • Prepare your claim and let you review it when it’s ready to be submitted.
  • Act as a barrier between you and the defendant’s insurer so you won’t need to talk to them.
  • Use evidence where necessary to try and deal with any objections that are raised.
  • Aim to achieve the highest level of compensation for your injuries.

During ear injury claims, your solicitor will keep you up to date with regular progress reports. Additionally, they will be there to answer any questions that you might think of.

All in all, your solicitor’s main job, other than winning compensation for you, is to make the process a lot less stressful. Please contact us if you’re ready to make a claim with us. If you decide not to make a claim after discussing your case, that’s fine, the advice we provide you with about your claim will still be free.

Ear Injury Claims FAQs

How long do I have to make a claim?

The typical personal injury claims time limit is 3 years.

Can I claim on behalf of someone else?

Yes, this is what’s called acting as a litigation friend. You may wish to claim on behalf of someone yet to reach their 18th birthday or someone who is mentally incapacitated.

What can I expect from a personal injury claim?

You should be prepared to provide medical evidence and other evidence. If you choose to use a solicitor, they would help you with this. 

Could I make ear injury claims for psychological trauma caused by hearing loss?

Some people suffer significant psychological injuries when they lose their hearing. If you have suffered PTSD, or any other psychological injury because you have lost your hearing, or you’ve been in an accident that has caused you trauma, this could be included within your compensation payout. Our specialist solicitors, who are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority could assist you with a claim for psychological trauma. We understand that it may be difficult for you to go over the details of how you have suffered, but our expert team are patient, friendly and understanding. We will fight for the maximum compensation possible for both your hearing loss and the psychological trauma it has caused you.

Could I make ear injury claims against the NHS?

Whether you have visited your GP with signs of an ear infection, or you’re visiting the hospital to have ear wax removed, you could suffer medical negligence that could lead you to a worsened condition than you previously had. If you could prove that clinical negligence had caused your injury to become worse, or be more difficult to treat, for example, you could have a claim for compensation. Whether you’ve had treatment on the NHS or via a private practice, our solicitors would be able to help you with a claim. If you’re wondering how common such claims could be it may interest you to see the figures provided by NHS resolution on clinical negligence payouts in 2020- 2021 below.

Cost amount to the NHS for Clinical Negligence during 2020/21 in Millions

Contact Accident Claims UK about ear injury claims

If you’d like to begin ear injury claims for injuries caused by somebody else, you can contact us in a number of ways. You can:

  • Call us free on 0800 073 8801. Our expert advisors are waiting to answer your questions.
  • Send an email to office@accidentclaims.co.uk. We aim to respond as quickly as possible.
  • Use our live chat feature.
  • Or fill in this claim form to arrange for us to call you back when it’s more convenient.

Solicitor advising a client on what to do after an ear injury

Our telephones and live chat are available 24/7 so you will get a quick response whenever you call. Remember, we’ll assess your claim for free and answer any questions you may have. If we think you’ve got a chance of being awarded compensation, we could refer you to a no win no fee solicitor.

References And Related Guides to ear injury claims

Now, we hope you know when you’re able to claim compensation for an ear injury. Plus, we hope that this guide has proven useful. To help you further, we’ve linked to some more resources below.

Ear Injury NHS: An NHS guide about the symptoms and treatment of a perforated eardrum.

Road Traffic Accidents: Information that could be useful if you’re seeking ear injury compensation following an RTA.

Tinnitus: An NHS guide about the signs and symptoms of tinnitus.

Head Injury Claims: This guide will be useful if you’ve suffered any other type of head injury and are looking to make a personal injury claim.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Great Britain: From 2017/18 to 2019/20, an estimated 17,000 workers had work-related hearing issues. From 2010 to 2019, there were 1,125 new cases of occupational deafness. Read the HSE’s page for more information.

What Are My Legal Rights After an Accident at Work?: Did you lose hearing because of your workplace? Find out more about your rights in our guide.

How to Claim Compensation for an Accident in a Public Place: Accidents can happen anywhere. If your ear injury occurred in a public place, read our guide today.  

Learn about using alternatives to a wrist injury compensation calculator to help you with your claim.

Finally, thank you for reading our guide to ear injury claims.