Ringing in Ears After a Car Accident: When to Get Care, Causes and Who Pays

Call 911 or go to an emergency department if ringing in your ears comes with a headache that keeps getting worse, repeated vomiting, slurred speech, seizures, confusion or unusual drowsiness. Those are concussion danger signs from the CDC. Get help right away for blood or fluid from your ear or sudden hearing loss. If you hit your head, ringing alone is a reason for immediate medical attention (NINDS).

Ear ringing after a car accident is unsettling, especially when everyone tells you that you look fine. It can follow a head or neck injury, a concussion, a damaged eardrum or loud noise. Only a doctor who examines you can tell which. Get it checked, and mention the crash.

This guide isn’t medical advice.

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When is ringing in the ears after a car accident an emergency?

After a bump, blow or jolt, the CDC says the people checking on you should call 911 or take you to an emergency department right away if you:

• have a headache that gets worse and doesn’t go away;
• have weakness, numbness, decreased coordination, convulsions or seizures;
• vomit repeatedly;
• have slurred speech or unusual behavior;
• have one pupil larger than the other;
• can’t recognize people or places, or get confused, restless or agitated; or
• lose consciousness, look very drowsy or can’t be woken up.

Two ear problems also can’t wait:

• Blood or fluid from your ear. MedlinePlus says to contact a provider right away for fluid or blood leaking from the nose or ears after a head injury. Clear liquid from the ear can be brain fluid. Don’t block the drainage.
• Sudden hearing loss. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health, says to treat sudden deafness symptoms as a medical emergency and see a doctor immediately. Head trauma is one listed cause.

Should I see a doctor if it’s only ringing?

Yes. If you hit your head, get medical attention right away: after an injury to the head, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) lists hearing problems such as ringing in the ears among the symptoms that call for immediate medical attention, especially in the first 24 hours. Even without a known head injury, go soon rather than waiting to see if it fades, as a practical matter. MedlinePlus says to contact a provider if ear noises start after a head injury, or come with unexplained dizziness, feeling off balance, nausea or vomiting. The same goes for noise that follows a steady beat, or stays in one ear for several weeks or longer.

What can cause ringing in the ears after a crash?

Ringing in the ears is called tinnitus, and its exact causes aren’t fully understood (NIDCD). These are possibilities to raise with a doctor, not a way to diagnose yourself:

• A head or neck injury. It can damage parts of the ear, the nerve that carries sound signals to the brain, or areas of the brain that process sound (NIDCD).
• A concussion. Ringing in the ears is a listed symptom, and concussion symptoms may start days or weeks after the injury (MedlinePlus). See proving a concussion or brain injury and delayed injury symptoms.
• A ruptured eardrum. A very loud noise close to the ear, a rapid pressure change or an injury to the ear can cause one (MedlinePlus).
• Loud noise, including an air bag. Loud noise is linked to tinnitus, which may subside but can sometimes continue for life (NIDCD). Two small medical reports describe ear symptoms after air bags: six patients in 1998 (Saunders and others) and 20 patients with ear injuries in 1999, most with ringing and hearing loss (McFeely and others). They show it can happen, not how often.
• Medicines. Some can cause tinnitus, especially at high doses, including ibuprofen and aspirin (NIDCD). Tell your doctor what you’ve taken, and don’t stop a medicine without asking (MedlinePlus).
• Something unrelated to the crash. Earwax, ear infections, hearing loss from aging and some chronic conditions are also linked to tinnitus (NIDCD).

How long can ringing in the ears last?

It depends on the cause, so ask your doctor.

• Tinnitus in general. It may improve or even go away over time, but in some cases it worsens. At three months or longer, it’s considered chronic, and for many people it can persist for months or years. There’s no cure yet, but sound therapy devices and behavioral therapies can reduce symptoms (NIDCD).
• After a concussion. Contact a provider if symptoms aren’t improving after 2 or 3 weeks (MedlinePlus).
• After a ruptured eardrum. A small hole most often heals by itself within 2 months (MedlinePlus).

What will a doctor check?

Your doctor will look for earwax or fluid and may refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist or an audiologist (NIDCD). You may have a look inside the ear, a hearing test, or a CT or MRI scan, especially if the sound pulses (MedlinePlus, NIDCD). If a concussion is possible, expect a neurological exam (MedlinePlus).

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How do you document ringing in the ears for a claim?

Most tinnitus can be heard only by the person who has it (NIDCD). That’s the real obstacle in the claims process: the other driver’s insurer will look at whether your injuries are directly related to the crash (Utah Insurance Department). These are practical habits, not legal requirements:

• Report it at every visit: which ear, what it sounds like, when it began, and whether an air bag went off.
• Ask whether a hearing test makes sense, and keep the results. Look for any test from before the crash, such as one from work.
• Keep a short daily note: sleep, focus, work, and anything you’ve stopped doing because of the noise.
• Ask people who see the change to write it down.

As a practical matter, hold off on signing a release until you know how badly you were hurt. Utah’s insurance department, for one, warns that the amount offered is then all you will ever receive from the other driver and their insurer. See what to say when an insurance adjuster calls.

Who pays, and does ringing in the ears count in a claim?

Who pays first depends on your state and coverage; see who pays your medical bills while your claim is pending. Ringing can count in a claim if the proof ties it to the crash and your state’s rules are met.

What to do next

1. Call 911 for any danger sign above, and get urgent care for sudden hearing loss or ear drainage.
2. Otherwise, see a doctor promptly and mention the crash and the ringing.
3. Start your daily note, and ask about a hearing test.
4. In Michigan, send your auto insurer written notice well inside one year of the crash.
5. Get advice before you sign a release or give a recorded statement. Get a free case review, or compare Michigan injury lawyers near you.

What waiting can cost

• Your hearing. Delaying diagnosis and treatment of sudden deafness can make treatment less effective (NIDCD).
• Your benefits. Without written notice or a payment within one year of the crash, a lawsuit for PIP benefits can be barred (MCL 500.3145(1)).

What a good outcome looks like

You get checked, your hearing is measured, and your records show when the ringing began. Every notice goes out on time, and you settle only once you know how long this may last. From wondering whether the noise matters to knowing it’s been checked, written down and inside every deadline.

For more, see our checklist of 10 things to do after a car accident and recovering after a car accident.

Updated November 13, 2026

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and laws change. For advice about your situation, talk to a lawyer licensed in your state. Reading this page or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.