A woman who was born deaf has lost her hearing again after a life-changing car accident.
Paige Elliott, 26, was fitted with a cochlear implant at the age of two that successfully helped her overcome some of her hearing loss.
But in 2024, she was involved in a serious car crash, and a head injury forced her implant to dislodge – and she was unable to hear again.
Since the accident, she has been unable to speak on the phone or listen to music and now relies on a hearing dog for daily help.
Paige, from Kinglassie in Fife, said: ‘Physically and emotionally, the crash just completely upended 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.’
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On July 15, 2024, Paige had been a passenger in a relative’s car, travelling through Bankhead Roundabout in Glenrothes, when they were struck from behind at speed by a Land Rover Discovery.
The crash left Paige with soft tissue damage to her face and neck and caused her head to ricochet off the headrest.
The strike to her skull resulted in a significant concussion and caused her cochlear implant to dislodge.
Paige said: ‘It was a few seconds after the crash that I realised something wasn’t right as I couldn’t hear people talking around me.
‘It was really scary as on top of the shock and the pain I felt that I couldn’t communicate what was happening to me.’
Paige was taken via ambulance to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, where medics treated her physical wounds.
She then needed follow-up treatment with hearing specialists at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, in a bid to restore her hearing; however, these attempts have provided mixed results.
Paige explained: ‘I have my new implant, but it’s not the same as the old one, as there are certain sounds that don’t get picked up the same – 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.’
Since the accident, Paige has relied on her hearing dog, Fiji, but continues to experience 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 again, Paige remains positive and continues to accomplish and overcome obstacles.
She is now being supported by Digby Brown Solicitors in a civil action against the driver of the Land Rover.
It’s hoped a successful case will help secure enhanced treatment to improve Paige’s hearing and boost her future quality of life.
Ryan Smith, 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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