Essential points when claiming for an ear injury
- You can claim compensation if your injury was caused by someone else's negligence at work, on the road, in a public space, or due to medical malpractice.
- Compensation ranges from around £2,000 for a mild scar to around £160,000 for deafness at at early age that affects development.
- You must start your claim within 3 years from when the injury occurred.
- You can claim on a no win, no fee basis.
If an ear injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Ear injuries, ranging from hearing loss to cosmetic damage, can profoundly impact your quality of life and ability to communicate. If you've suffered an ear injury due to an workplace exposure, medical negligence, or in an accident, we can help.
If your injuries were caused by someone else's actions or negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
You are not alone
In 2022/23, the HSE recorded 11,000 workers with work-related hearing problems and 85 cases of occupational deafness (hse.gov.uk).
If you need information on ear pain symptoms and treatment, visit: earache (nhs.uk).
How much compensation can I claim for an ear injury?
The amount of compensation you can claim for your ear injury depends on:
- the seriousness of your injury,
- the impact of your injury on your daily life and ability to work,
- any financial expenses or losses you?ve had due to your injury.
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General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.
Special damages are for financial losses and expenses you have incurred because of your accident. In addition to paying for loss of earnings (including future anticipated earnings loss), retraining costs, career trajectory impact, special damages can cover any care costs and medical procedures you need, such as pain medication, cleaning the wound, antibiotics and surgical repair.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average ear injury general damages compensation table
The following ear injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).
These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.
Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).
Facial scarring
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | A hardly noticeable scar (or scars) | £1,890 to £3,920 |
| Moderate | A single scar that can be camouflaged with makeup, or multiple small scars that don't markedly affect your appearance | £4,380 to £15,250 |
| Significant | Significant scarring where the worst affects are reduced by cosmetic surgery, and/or with causing a psychological impact | £10,110 to £33,380 |
| Serious | Substantial disfigurement and/or a significant psychological impact | £19,930 to £53,720 |
| Severe | A younger person (under 30) with substantial disfigurement and/or a significant psychological impact | £33,040 to £107,990 |
Hearing loss
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Loss of hearing in one ear | £34,740 to £50,520 | |
| Total deafness | £100,680 to £121,650 | |
| Total deafness and loss of speech | Deafness at an early age that prevented the development of normal speech | £121,650 to £156,070 |
Tinnitus & Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Slight tinnitus or slight NIHL | Up to £7,780 | |
| Slight or occasional tinnitus with slight NIHL | £8,080 to £13,970 | |
| Mild tinnitus or mild NIHL | Around £13,000 | |
| Mild tinnitus and NIHL | £13,970 to £16,530 | |
| Moderate tinnitus and NIHL | £16,530 to £32,960 | |
| Severe tinnitus and NIHL | £32,960 to £50,520 |
Can I claim compensation for a psychological injury?
Psychiatric harm is less obvious than physical injury, but the consequences can be just as difficult to deal with.
According to our 2025 Personal Injury Claimant Survey shows that 29.03% of potential claimants sustained a psychological injury, 70.97% of which related to a physical injury.
Ear injuries can cause concerns social anxiety (social phobia) about hearing loss and the possible impact on social interactions and communication.
A specialist solicitor will consider psychological harm when calculating your compensation. Psychiatric injuries are recognised in the official guidelines for compensation, and the cost of treatment and other mental health support should be included in your compensation award or settlement.
Our compensation calculator can estimate your compensation for psychological injuries. Or you can call us on 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor.
Am I entitled to make an ear injury claim?
Yes, you can claim compensation for an ear injury, if:
- you were injured within the last 3 years, and;
- another party was responsible, and;
- that party owed a duty of care to protect you from foreseeable risks.
Use our injury claim calculator to find out if you can claim. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.
What if the accident was partly my fault?
Attributing blame for an accident isn't always clear-cut.
In our 2025 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, we found that 13.99% of respondents felt they had at least some responsibility for the injuries they sustained.
Claiming compensation is still an option even if you were partly at fault. These contributory negligence cases are typically resolved with a split-liability agreement.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
How long do I have to make an ear injury claim?
An injury claim will usually need to be made within 3 years of the date or your accident or injury.
For injured children, a claim can be started by a parent or guardian at any time before they turn 18. Thereafter, the injured individual has until their 21st birthday to make a claim on their own.
Types of ear injury
Ear injuries may be broadly categorised into visible damage to the outside of the ear and damage to the inside of the ear - the middle and inner ear.
Outer ear damage
Outer ear damage can result from physical contact in sports like boxing, wrestling, and rugby, or from assault, leading to conditions like "cauliflower ear" due to blood clots or skin separation from the cartilage.
It can also occur from thermal injuries, including burns or frostbite. Additionally, negligence in cosmetic ear surgery (otoplasty) can cause scarring, blood clots, or asymmetry of the ears.
Middle and inner ear damage
Middle and inner ear damage can occur from traumas in sports, work, or road accidents. Blows to the head can increase ear canal pressure, leading to eardrum rupture or disruption of the ossicles, the tiny bones that transmit sound.
Similarly, loud or repetitive noise can cause these injuries. Extreme atmospheric pressure changes, like in diving or skydiving, can compress the eustachian tubes, possibly rupturing the eardrum.
Prolonged negative pressure in the middle ear might draw fluid into the ear. Additionally, foreign objects, including implements or elements like cold water and wind, can cause conditions such as 'surfer's ear', where bone growths in the ear canal lead to hearing loss.
If you need information on hearing loss symptoms and treatment, see: Hearing loss (nhs.uk).
See also:
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) compensation claim
What affects the process when claiming for an ear injury?
Your ear injury circumstances will shape the claims process. Click the icons below for more information.
Can I make a no win, no fee ear injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim ear injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.
Get expert advice now
Interested in talking to an injury specialist about your claim?
- Calls are FREE
- Confidential consultation
- No obligation to claim
- No Win No Fee solicitors
Call 0800 376 1001
or arrange a callbackSources
Earache - NHS (reviewed: 02/08/2024)
Hearing loss - NHS (reviewed: 28/07/2024)
Social anxiety (social phobia) - NHS (reviewed: 30/07/2024)
Author:
Chris Salmon, Director
About the author
Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Injury Claims. Chris has played key roles in the shaping and scaling of a number of legal services brands and is a regular commentator in the legal press.