The Memphis location of the Hearing and Balance Center of West Tennessee has remained closed for weeks. Its parent company, Real Hearing USA, Inc., filed for Chapter 7 liquidation on Aug. 17, 2026, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida, according to the bankruptcy docket reviewed through PacerMonitor. A meeting of creditors is scheduled for Sept. 22.
What the bankruptcy records show
The bankruptcy filing followed litigation involving hearing-device manufacturer Sonova USA Inc., according to ABC24. Gail Hamilton Azodo and joint debtor Uchendu Ikenna Azodo also filed for personal bankruptcy in Florida. Federal bankruptcy records cited in that report show that the court entered an order concerning the automatic stay on Aug. 19.
How the Memphis practice became part of Real Hearing
Hearing and Balance Centers of West Tennessee was sold to Real Hearing in June 2024, according to ABC24’s account of the transaction and information from Chicago-based advisory firm Caber Hill Advisors. Real Hearing’s expansion strategy relied on manufacturer-financed supply arrangements. An Acquiring Minds report said the business had built a network producing more than $4 million in annual revenue across its practices and used agreements that financed hearing-aid inventory in exchange for product commitments.
Patients report unfulfilled purchases
ABC24 reported that customers were trying to determine the status of orders, deposits and hearing aids after the Memphis office closed. One customer told the station she had paid a $2,000 deposit for a hearing aid she had not received. ABC24 also reported that an appointment scheduled for July 15 did not take place after customers were told the office would be closed for two weeks, and that the closure continued beyond that period.
The station reported that some customers believed their devices remained inside the closed building and that replacing them could be unaffordable. ABC24 said it sought comment from Real Hearing USA, the company’s bankruptcy attorney and Sonova USA, and would update its report if it received additional information.
Questions that remain open
Customers who paid for devices they did not receive may need information about claims or other remedies, but the available material does not establish whether those customers have priority claims or explain how they should file in the Southern District of Florida bankruptcy case. The article also does not identify a specific Tennessee process for recovering deposits or resolving unfulfilled contracts.
Tennessee complaint and mediation options
Patients who believe a licensed hearing-instrument specialist violated state rules can use the complaint process linked on the Tennessee Department of Health Council for Hearing Instrument Specialists’ website. Consumers can also seek informal complaint mediation for disputes involving purchases of products, goods and services through the Tennessee Attorney General’s Division of Consumer Affairs, although the office does not represent individuals in private legal actions. The state’s available data are broader than hearing aids: the Division of Consumer Affairs reported 675 complaints in the Health Services & Products category in 2024, a category that includes disputes involving health providers and products such as hearing aids, according to the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office.
Access to patient records is another unresolved issue. The available information does not establish how long the clinic was required to retain records or who is currently responsible for providing them to patients seeking care elsewhere. Hearing-aid prices can exceed $7,000, according to the National Council on Aging, which makes the consequences of an uncompleted purchase potentially substantial, although that guide does not address this clinic’s patients or their bankruptcy claims.
