A woman born deaf has tragically lost her hearing once more following a life-altering car accident. Paige Elliott, 26, had received a cochlear implant at the age of two, which successfully helped her overcome significant hearing loss. However, in 2024, a serious car crash caused a head injury that dislodged the implant, plunging her back into silence.
Since the accident, Paige has been unable to speak on the phone or listen to music and now relies on a hearing dog for daily assistance. Paige, from Kinglassie in Fife, described the ordeal: 'Physically and emotionally, the crash 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.'
On July 15, 2024, Paige was a passenger in a relative's car traveling through Bankhead Roundabout in Glenrothes when they were struck from behind at speed by a Land Rover Discovery. The impact caused soft tissue damage to her face and neck, and her head ricocheted off the headrest, resulting in a significant concussion and dislodging 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. 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 recalled.
She was taken by ambulance to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for treatment of her physical injuries. Subsequently, she received follow-up care with hearing specialists at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, in an attempt to restore her hearing. However, these efforts have yielded mixed results. '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,' Paige explained. '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 depended on her hearing dog, Fiji, but continues to face challenges with her new implant due to internal scar tissue, which may be affecting its effectiveness. Despite these setbacks, Paige remains positive and determined to overcome obstacles. She is now pursuing a civil action against the driver of the Land Rover, supported by Digby Brown Solicitors. A successful case could secure enhanced treatment to improve her hearing and quality of life. Ryan Smith, Partner at Digby Brown in Kirkcaldy, stated: '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.'
