Chicago Hearing Loss Injury Lawyers
Did you suffer hearing loss in an accident caused by someone else’s careless or negligent actions? Hearing loss can have a significant and lasting impact on your ability to enjoy life as you once did. If someone else’s actions or inaction caused you to suffer an injury of this nature, turn to an experienced hearing loss lawyer for help.
The Illinois hearing loss lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. know that no amount of money can restore your hearing. However, through a personal injury claim, you could potentially hold the at-fault party accountable and recover the money you need to get treatment and compensate you for what you’ve gone through due to the accident.
Our Chicago-based trial lawyers have extensive experience helping those with accident-related hearing loss get answers and justice. Contact us today to discuss your case with a knowledgeable and compassionate attorney during a free consultation.
Get help from the nearest personal injury attorney in Chicago
Impact of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss could be temporary or permanent. It can also be partial or total. There are two main types of hearing loss, which include:
- Conductive hearing loss – This type of hearing loss involves injury or obstructions in the middle or outer ear. This can be caused by damage to the eardrum, infections, or other malfunction.
- Sensorineural – This type of hearing loss involves damage to the hair cells in the inner ear. This can be caused by exposure to loud noise, diseases (like meningitis), or ototoxic medications.
Some examples of loss of hearing from accidents include tinnitus, or ringing in the ears caused by exposure to loud noise, or a ruptured eardrum caused by a sudden impact, puncture, or another incident. Depending on the nature and extent of hearing loss you’ve suffered, your condition could significantly impact your life professionally and socially. Individuals dealing with hearing loss often struggle with:
- Loss of educational and job opportunities due to issues with communication
- Self-esteem, confidence issues, and social withdrawal
- Strained personal relationships
Hearing loss occurs more frequently than most people realize. Victims often do not understand how important our sense of hearing is to our lives until it is negatively affected.
Common Causes of Hearing Loss
An individual could suffer hearing loss due to workplace accidents, defective products, a car accident, or another intentional or negligent action on the part of another person or party. Some of the most common causes of accident-related hearing loss include:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Defective products
- Exposure to loud noise over a prolonged period
Proving Liability in Hearing Loss Cases
To prove liability in a hearing loss case, you will generally need to show that the person who caused your injury was negligent.
This means showing that the person had a duty to behave responsibly and failed, which caused the accident. Then, you’d need to show how that accident directly led to your hearing loss.
Finally, you will need to prove that you suffered compensable losses due to the accident. There are many types of compensable losses. If you incurred medical expenses to treat your hearing loss, that would be considered a loss you could be compensated for.
Compensation Recoverable in Hearing Loss Claims
If you were injured in an accident and lost your hearing as a result, you could be eligible to claim compensation from the at-fault party. Compensation is designed to help you cover expenses and losses you suffered due to the accident. Depending on your case, you might be entitled to recover compensation for:
- Present and future medical expenses related to your injuries, including hospital bills, rehabilitative care, surgeries, imaging tests, doctor’s visits, and more
- Lost income if you can’t work due to your injuries
- Lost earning capacity if you can no longer perform the full scope of your job duties due to your hearing loss
- Property damage, if any of your personal property was damaged or destroyed in the accident that caused your injuries
- Pain and suffering, including loss of enjoyment of life, emotional trauma, mental distress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
In rare cases, you might also be entitled to punitive damages. Punitive damages in Illinois are designed to “punish” the at-fault party for misconduct that goes beyond mere negligence. If the at-fault party acted fraudulently, with malice, or willfully and wantonly caused your injuries, then a judge or jury might see fit to award you punitive damages. The goal will be to deter the defendant from committing similar acts in the future and send a message to others that this behavior will not be tolerated.
A personal injury attorney could help calculate your expenses, future losses, and quantify your non-financial losses. While there is no way to estimate the value of your case without knowing all the details, in general, the more severe the injury, the more compensation you are eligible to claim.
Because of the impact hearing loss can have on your life, many hearing loss settlement amounts are quite high. A hearing loss lawyer can help you fight for the full and fair amount you deserve.
Contact Salvi Schostok & Pritchard, P.C. Today
Did you lose your hearing or suffer an ear injury in an accident or incident caused by someone else’s negligence? If so, contact the Chicago personal injury attorneys at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. right away. We have seen firsthand the impact that hearing loss can have on your ability to work, relationships, and overall quality of life.
You don’t have to shoulder the burden of accident-related hearing loss alone. The at-fault party could and should be held accountable, and our lawyers have the skills, experience, and resources to help you get justice. Call us or reach out to us online now for a free consultation to discuss your situation and your legal options.
