I have sustained an injury from a car accident and I would like to know what methods of determining hearing handicapp are used to determine the amount of hearing loss I can use for an insurance claim?
Answer -------- >P> There are a variety of mechanisms by which head trauma may result in hearing loss. Trauma may result in physical injury to the structures involved in transmission of sound energy to the end organ and nerve of the inner ear causing what is known as a conductive hearing loss. Examples of this might include a ruptured tympanic membrane or a dislocation of one of the small ear bones (ossicles) involved in sound energy transmission. Often this type of hearing loss can be repaired either partially or totally by surgical treatments.
Trauma may also cause tissue injury to the inner ear or the nerve of the inner ear. Additionally, trauma can cause concussive injuries to the inner ear. Hearing loss in this case is known as neurosensory ("nerve") hearing loss. Often this form of hearing loss has no treatment outside of a hearing aid. However, there are certain types of injuries to the inner ear that result in leakage of fluid from the inner ear. Symptoms may be hearing loss(often a mixture of conductive and neurosensory) that fluctuates and episodic dizziness. This type of injury may be treated with surgery.
Permanent hearing loss due to head injury is usually neurosensory. The amount of permanent hearing loss that can be associated with head trauma requires a careful history and physical examination by an otolaryngologist. A determination of any pre-existent or co-existent conditions that might also cause hearing loss must be made. A thorough audiometric evaluation is necessary to analyze the nature and measure the degree of hearing loss. There are often certain characteristic audiometric findings in the hearing loss due to trauma. It is obviously helpful to examine any hearing tests that might have been performed prior to the trauma.
Once it has been determined that trauma-related permanent hearing loss is present there are a variety of formulas that might be used to describe the degree of hearing handicap, all of which use the actual audiometric measurements. A common method is to utilize the formula used to determine hearing handicaps in claims of work-related noise-induced hearing loss. These formulas tend to vary somewhat from state to state. Also, not every state provides compensation for work related hearing loss. You could consult the worker's compensation law's in the state in which you reside for more information regarding this method.
Other formulas for calculating the severity of hearing handicap which might be used include: 1) The hearing loss disability formula found in The American Medical Association's Guide to Permanent Impairment; or 2) The Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Guide for the evaluation of hearing handicap.
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Steve Dankle, MD
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Milwaukee, Wis
NOTICE: OFCN is not engaged in the rendering of professional medical services. The information contained on this system or any other OFCN system should not supplant individual professional consultation. It is offered exclusively as a community education service. Advice on individual problems must be obtained directly from a professional.
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