Tinnitus is often described as ringing in the ears, but for many people, it sounds more like buzzing, hissing, clicking, or static. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly one in seven adults experiences tinnitus, and up to 2 million Americans live with severe, disabling symptoms.
While tinnitus is commonly linked to hearing loss or loud noise exposure, many cases are actually caused by head or neck injuries. Concussions, whiplash, and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can disrupt the brain’s ability to process sound, leading to persistent tinnitus that may not go away on its own.
Below, we explain how tinnitus develops after a head injury, how long it may last, treatment options, and what legal options may be available if the injury was caused by negligence.
Tinnitus does not come from the ears themselves. Instead, it originates in the brain.
When the brain struggles to process sound signals properly, it may increase certain signal frequencies to compensate. This overcorrection can create the sensation of sound even when no external noise is present.
Research suggests the limbic system, which plays a role in emotions and behavior, helps regulate whether tinnitus signals reach the brain’s sound-processing centers. When this system is disrupted, tinnitus may become persistent and harder to ignore. This connection also helps explain why tinnitus is often linked with anxiety, depression, and sleep issues.
Head injuries are a well-documented cause of tinnitus. Even mild traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, can damage nerves and brain structures involved in hearing and sound filtering.
Injuries that commonly lead to tinnitus include:
These injuries can interfere with the brain’s prefrontal cortex and auditory pathways, making tinnitus more likely to develop or persist.
There is no universal cure for chronic tinnitus, but several treatments may help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.
Early evaluation matters. The sooner tinnitus is addressed after a head injury, the more treatment options may be available.
Tinnitus following a head injury can vary widely. Some people experience temporary tinnitus that improves within weeks or months. Others develop symptoms that last much longer.
When tinnitus caused by a traumatic brain injury persists beyond one year, it is often considered permanent. In these cases, ongoing management and documentation become especially important.
If another person’s or business’s negligence led to your head injury which then led to your TBI, they may be responsible for any damages resulting from your tinnitus.
Because it can be tough to pinpoint the cause of tinnitus—even if it developed shortly after an injury to your brain—it’s important to seek a diagnosis from a medical professional to eliminate some of the possibilities above. Connecting your tinnitus to your TBI can strengthen any legal claim against the responsible party.
Under Virginia law, those who are injured due to another person’s negligent or reckless actions have only two years from the date of the injury to file a civil lawsuit. Missing this deadline could leave you without any recourse for your injuries.
Even if you’re sure your tinnitus was caused by a TBI, it’s important to rule out other potential causes that could be used to weaken your claim. Some of the other conditions or situations that may cause tinnitus include:
Tinnitus sounds different from person to person. It may be constant or intermittent, loud or faint. So how can you know if you suffer from tinnitus? Tinnitus can include the following sounds:
Tinnitus can be occasional or constant. Those with intermittent tinnitus may find that the periods of ringing or buzzing become longer as the condition grows worse. In other cases, the tinnitus may slowly go away on its own.
Though tinnitus is often a side effect of TBI, it comes with side effects of its own. Those who live with tinnitus often suffer from a constellation of other symptoms, including:
These side effects, particularly depression and the inability to concentrate, can often make it tougher to find the motivation to seek treatment.
At Breit Biniazan, our attorneys have decades of experience in fighting for the rights of injured people. Don’t delay—give us a call at (855) 659-4457 to set up a consultation to discuss your options if you think your tinnitus is a result of someone else’s negligence.
