Our eyes are precious, and injuries to them can be devastating. We rely on our eyes and vision every day to complete our day-to-day tasks. Losing the ability to see can compromise our ability to care for our families, perform our necessary job functions, drive, and even run simple daily errands. Unfortunately, eye-related injuries are not uncommon in San Diego accidents.
Have you recently suffered an eye injury in a San Diego accident? Is another person responsible for your life-changing injury? If so, you may want to consider filing a personal injury lawsuit to recover damages. Contact Injury Trial Lawyers, APC to find out how our San Diego eye injury attorney can help you fight to protect your legal rights and maximize the settlement or award you receive. We offer a free consultation so do not hesitate to call us for help today.
Types of Eye Injuries
There are many different ways in which the eyes can be injured in an unexpected San Diego accident. Some of the most commonly-reported eye injuries include:
Corneal Abrasion: Scratches the to cornea and eye are some of the most frequently reported eye-related injuries. Debris and dirt kicked up during an accident can easily enter the eye and scratch the cornea. Abrasions can be worsened when a victim rubs the debris into the eye. Corneal abrasions can cause blurred vision, extreme pain, and even result in dangerous bacterial or fungal infections.
Punctures: Eyes can also become punctured by sharp, foreign objects in an accident. Punctures can cause devastating damage to the eye that threatens the victim’s ability to see. Left untreated, punctures can result in the total loss of the organ.
Chemical Burns: Chemical burns occur most frequently in the workplace, but can also occur in an unexpected traffic accident. The eye is very sensitive and can be irreparably damaged when it comes into contact with caustic chemicals.
Hemorrhages: Eye hemorrhages occur when the blood vessels in the eye burst, giving the eye a bright-red appearance. While hemorrhages on their own may not be cause for immediate concern, this type of injury often suggests there is other damage to the eye that needs to be addressed.
Hyphema: Hyphema is more commonly described as bleeding within the eye, in the space between the iris and cornea. This injury can occur when facial bones are fractured in an accident.
Causes of Eye Injuries in San Diego
If you are involved in any type of San Diego accident you are at risk of suffering an injury to your eyes. At Injury Trial Lawyers, APC, our attorneys have successfully helped clients recover compensation for eye injuries sustained in:
Workplace Accidents: Workplace accidents are the leading cause of eye injury in the United States. In fact, an estimated 2,000 workers will suffer an eye injury in a workplace accident every day. One-third of these injuries will be severe and require emergency medical treatment, while 5 percent will result in disability. Some workplace accidents occur because workers do not wear appropriate eyewear and protective devices while working with machinery and construction equipment. Other eye injuries occur when equipment malfunctions or employers fail to employ workplace safety measures.
Traffic Accidents: Eye injuries are often overlooked after a car accident. Accidents involving cars, trucks, and other vehicles on the road can be particularly violent, causing chemicals and foreign objects to be dispersed at the scene of the crash. Victims are susceptible to eye damage caused by punctures, chemical burns, and debris. Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are perhaps at the greatest risk of suffering an eye injury because they have little protecting themselves in the event of an accident.
Defective Products: Accidents involving defective products can also cause eye-related injuries. This is particularly true when defective airbags are installed in a car. Recently, Takata airbags have been causing a staggering number of eye injuries because shrapnel and debris are thrown violently around the passenger compartment of vehicles.
Recreational Activities: Outdoor recreational activities are fun, but can also be dangerous for your health and well-being if an accident happens. If you are thrown from a recreational vehicle or boat, your eyes are vulnerable to scratches and abrasions.
Dog Bites: If you suffer a dog bite to the face, your eyes are at risk of being punctured or damaged in the attack.
Damages Available to Eye Injury Victims
If you’ve recently suffered an eye injury in a San Diego accident you may be struggling with a great deal of pain and even more medical bills. Eye injuries can require extensive medical treatment, including surgery, rehabilitation, and consultations with specialists. If your vision is impaired because of your eye injury you may also be forced to miss time at work. Even worse, your loss of vision may even prevent you from performing your job, at all. Filing a personal injury lawsuit against the person responsible for your injury can be a great way to get the money you need after an accident.
In California, eye injury accident victims are typically able to recover economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are awarded to make up for the financial costs of your accident and injury. These damages can be recovered to compensate for past, present, and future expenses that are generated because of your eye injury.
Examples of economic damages include those for:
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Prosthetics
- Medication
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- Lost wages, and
- Temporary and/or permanent disability.
Economic damages are capped at your actual (and reasonably projected) financial costs.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are awarded to compensate you for injuries that may not have a direct financial cost. These injuries tend to be very intimate and personal. Since these injuries are so hard to value in terms of dollars and cents, awards of non-economic damages can vary significantly from one case to another.
Examples of non-economic damages include those for:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Chronic pain
- Suffering
- Emotional distress
- Embarrassment
- Disfigurement, and
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
Unlike economic damages, there are generally no limits on non-economic damages in California. This will, however, depend on the cause of your injury.
When Do I Have to File an Eye Injury Lawsuit?
If someone else caused your San Diego accident and eye injury, you have the right to file a lawsuit to recover damages from them. However, it is important to get the legal process started as quickly as possible after your accident. California imposes a rigid statute of limitations on personal injury cases, including those for eye injuries.
You will generally have two years from the date of your eye injury-causing accident to file a claim for damages. If you do not file your claim before the statute of limitations expires you won’t be able to get the money you need and deserve.
There are limited exceptions to this strict statute of limitations. In certain cases, you may have significantly less time to file a claim. Other times, you may have additional time to file a timely lawsuit. The best way to make sure that your claim is filed within the applicable statute of limitations is by contacting an attorney as soon as you can after your accident. Call Injury Trial Lawyers, APC today for immediate legal assistance.
Call our San Diego Eye Injury Attorney
Have you recently suffered an eye injury in a San Diego accident? You may be entitled to an award of compensation from the person responsible for your accident. Call the San Diego eye injury attorney at Injury Trial Lawyers, APC to find out how we can help you maximize the amount of money you receive.
Since 2004, we have been dedicated to helping injured accident victims in the greater San Diego area. During this time, we have handled thousands of complex personal injury matters and recovered millions in damages for our clients. Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation with our legal team.