Woman describes 'world of silence' after losing hearing for second time
Car crash left Paige Elliott unable to hear normally
A woman who was fitted with an implant to overcome her hearing loss has opened up about her recovery after a car crash left her deaf for the second time in her life.
Paige Elliott was born deaf and had a cochlear implant fitted when she was just two, which she said allowed her to live a normal life.
But two years ago, she was involved in a car crash which destroyed the implant. She described it as a “life changing” event that sent her back into a “world of silence.”
The 26 year-old, from Kinglassie in Fife, said that following the crash, she was unable to speak on the phone or listen to music, and is now reliant on Fiji, her hearing dog, for help.
She explained: “Physically and emotionally, the crash just completely up-ended my life. When I lost the implant it was terrifying – I had a normal life and to suddenly be thrust back into a world of silence was jarring, scary and you feel incredibly alone.”
Ms Elliott was a passenger in a relative’s car and as they travelled near a roundabout at Glenrothes in July 2024 when they were struck from behind at speed by a Land Rover Discovery.
The collision left her with soft tissue damage to her face and neck. However, it also caused her head to ricochet off the vehice headrest, resulting in concussion and the dislodgement of her cochlear implant.
“It was a few seconds after the crash that I realised something wasn’t right as I couldn’t hear people talking around me,” she recalled. “It was really scary as on top of the shock and the pain I felt that I couldn’t communicate what has happening to me.”
Ms Elliott was taken via ambulance to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. She then needed follow up treatment with hearing specialists at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock in a bid to restore her hearing. However, she said the results had been mixed to date.
“I have my new implant but it’s not the same as the old one as there’s certain sounds that don’t get picked up the same,” she explained. “I can’t even hear fire alarms anymore and my grandfather’s voice now sounds like a woman’s voice which is unpleasant for us both.
“I used to enjoy music and concerts as my old implant basically let me hear things normally but now I can’t really hear anything properly - the last song I remember listening to without issue was ‘All of Me’ by John Legend and that was before the crash.”
It is understood Ms Elliott is experiencing issues with her new implant due to internal scar tissue which may be impacting the device’s effectiveness. Despite the challenges of losing her hearing for the second time, she said she remains positive.
Ms Elliott is now being supported by Digby Brown Solicitors in a civil action against the driver of the Land Rover. It is hoped a successful case will help secure enhanced treatment to improve her hearing and boost her future quality of life.
Ryan Smith, a partner at Digby Brown in Kirkcaldy, said: “Paige has suffered a truly life-changing injury through no fault of her own and we are committed to ensuring she gets the treatment and positive outcome she deserves.”
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