Eyes are referred to as the “windows to the soul” and are also a crucial component of our everyday lives.
Eye injuries can result in permanent vision loss, partial vision loss, or vision restrictions that may affect every aspect of your life.
Suppose your eye injury resulted from someone else’s carelessness, negligence, or wrongdoing. In that case, it might be in your best interest to learn about your legal rights and options by consulting with one of our catastrophic injury attorneys.
Whether the at-fault party responsible for your suffering was a product manufacturer, a doctor, a careless driver, or a workplace accident, financial support may be available for your medical treatment, lost wages, and other related damages.
When to Seek Help for Your Eye Injury
If you have issues with your vision or recently suffered an eye injury, it is imperative to pay attention. Symptoms like flashing lights, eye floaters, and blurred edges may seem like minor annoyances, but they could be signs of something much more severe. If you are experiencing these or other symptoms, you must seek medical attention immediately.
Warning Signs for Eye Injury
See a doctor if you are experiencing eye pain, vision loss, spots in your vision, “cobwebs” in your field of view, colored circles around lights, or a bulging of the eye or eye tissue.
Other severe symptoms include:
- Excessive tearing.
- Eyelids that are stuck together.
- Tears in the outer ocular walls.
- Bleeding on or inside the eye.
- Vision loss is a warning sign of a potentially serious eye injury.
Seeking help right away will not only prove your injuries for legal purposes for your eye injury attorney but also increase your chances of making a full recovery.
Common Eye Injuries
The eyes are highly vulnerable organs. With this in mind, just about any eye trauma can have serious consequences.
Some of the most common eye injuries include:
- Scratched cornea: A scratched eye is susceptible to infection from bacteria or fungus.
- Penetrating injuries: When metal or other sharp objects enter and damage the eye.
- Chemical burns: Acids cause redness, and burning and alkali can cause substantial eye pain.
- Eye bleeding: This is when there is a leakage of blood, making the white of the eye appear red.
- Traumatic iritis: This is inflammation of the colored part of the eye.
- Eye swelling: Swollen eyelids can result from blunt trauma.
- Hyphemas: This is when there is bleeding between the cornea and the iris.
Treatments for Traumatic Eye Injuries
The type of treatment needed depends on the type of injury suffered. Surgery is required in cases involving blunt or penetrating injuries. Surgery, however, is not necessary for all circumstances.
Some minor corneal injuries could be treated in a less evasive way. As long as there is no foreign material in the eye, an eye patch may be worn to allow the eye to heal on its own. Victims of these types of serious injuries should avoid driving or other strenuous activities because using only one eye affects depth perception.
Some eye injuries do not result from foreign objects but chemical burns. Powerful chemicals such as acids or alkalis are hazardous. If you have sustained a chemical burn to your eye, you should immediately flush your eyes out with water for 30 minutes and then seek immediate medical attention.
If your eyes are swelling, you might want to place ice on your eyes as you are transported to the hospital. However, it is not advisable to rub or apply pressure to the eye.
Rights of Serious Eye Injury Victims
If you have suffered an eye injury due to someone else’s negligence, it is possible to seek compensation for your losses.
Victims often require eye doctors to review their cases or even testify in court as experts in cases involving eye injuries. Depending on the victim’s age and the circumstances of the incident that caused the damage, it may be necessary to speak with a legal expert who can offer better insight.
The Medical Cost of an Eye Injury
Suffering a severe eye injury can result in expensive medical bills and time away from work.
Catastrophic eye injuries can result in a partial or complete loss of vision. Legal options are available to help injured victims recover some of their losses if the accident resulted from someone else’s negligence.
Some questions you should ask yourself include:
- Did the eye trauma occur during an accident?
- Was the accident the result of a defective product, workplace accident, automobile accident, or dangerous property?
Support should be available for anyone who has suffered an injury because of negligence or wrongdoing.
Damages You May Recover
Whether it is through a product liability claim, personal injury claim, or premises liability claim, financial support may be available for:
- Medical bills: All current and future medical expenses related to the accident should be included in the claim.
- Lost wages: All wages lost while the victim heals should be included in the claim. Additional support may be available when the injuries reduce the victim’s earning potential or ability to return to work.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation may be available for mental anguish and physical suffering victims.
- Rehabilitation costs: Victims can also be reimbursed for expenses relating to rehabilitation or therapy they require to heal completely.
Eye Injury Attorneys You Can Trust
Suffering an eye injury can be a painful and emotional experience for you and your family.
If you have suffered a severe eye injury, call the experienced eye injury attorneys, Joe I. Zaid & Associates, toll-free now at (346) 756-9243 for immediate legal advice and set up your free, no-obligation consultation.