A car accident, construction accident, defective product, chemical exposure, or other unexpected event can cause severe eye trauma, partial vision loss, or permanent blindness. These injuries may lead to significant medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and long-term changes in a person's ability to work or manage daily activities.
Attorney Ira M. Maurer has represented people with catastrophic injuries for more than 45 years and has recovered over $100 million for clients. From The Maurer Law Firm in Fishkill, he serves injured clients throughout Dutchess County, Orange County, and the Hudson Valley.Â
When another party's negligence causes a serious eye injury, a personal injury claim may help address both the immediate effects of the accident and the financial consequences that continue well into the future.
Representing Victims of Vision Loss
The Maurer Law Firm has extensive experience representing clients in cases involving vision loss caused by construction accidents, defective products, medical negligence, and other acts of negligence.
Serious eye injuries may include:
- Corneal injuries caused by lacerations, burns, chemical exposure, or foreign objects
- Retinal damage or detached retinas caused by impact trauma
- Enucleation, or the total loss of an eye following severe trauma
- Disease-related vision loss resulting from misdiagnosis
- Surgical errors during eye surgery or LASIK treatment
The severity of an eye injury may not always be immediately obvious. Prompt evaluation by an emergency medicine physician or ophthalmologist can help identify damage and preserve as much vision as possible.
Common Eye Injuries Caused by Accidents
Eye trauma can affect the cornea, retina, iris, blood vessels, and surrounding facial bones. Some injuries require emergency treatment or surgery to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss, while others may seem less serious at first but still require prompt evaluation.
Common conditions associated with eye injury and trauma include:
- Corneal abrasions: Scratches to the surface of the eye can occur when dust, sand, or another foreign object comes into contact with the cornea. These injuries can be painful and may increase infection risk.
- Penetrating or foreign-object injuries: Metal, glass, or other sharp material may become embedded in or penetrate the eye. These injuries can cause significant internal damage and often require urgent medical care.
- Chemical burns: Acids, alkalis, cleaning products, and other substances can damage the eye's surface. Severity varies depending on the substance and the length of exposure.
- Eye swelling and blunt-force trauma: A direct blow from an object, fall, or accident may cause swelling, bruising, or internal damage that is not immediately visible.
- Traumatic iritis: Trauma can cause inflammation of the iris, the colored portion of the eye. This condition may lead to pain, light sensitivity, and decreased vision.
- Hyphema: Bleeding can develop in the front chamber of the eye after significant blunt-force trauma. Hyphemas can affect vision and may require immediate evaluation.
- Orbital blowout fractures: A strong impact to the face can fracture the bones surrounding the eye and may also affect nearby muscles or other structures.
- Retinal detachment: Trauma can cause the retina to separate from its supporting tissue. Because an untreated retinal detachment may lead to permanent vision loss, it is considered a medical emergency.
- Subconjunctival hemorrhage: Trauma may cause bleeding beneath the clear tissue covering the white of the eye. Although this type of injury can look dramatic, its seriousness depends on the circumstances and whether other eye damage is present.
Some seemingly minor injuries can also lead to complications. A scratch may create an opportunity for infection, while blunt trauma that causes swelling or a black eye may also damage the eye internally. Prompt medical evaluation can help identify injuries that may not be obvious immediately after an accident.
Accidents That Can Lead to Serious Eye Injuries
Eye injuries can occur in many different settings, and identifying how the injury happened is an important part of determining whether another person or company may be legally responsible.
Claims may arise from:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace incidents
- Defective products
- Explosions or flying debris
- Chemical exposure
- Unsafe property conditions
- Medical or surgical errors
The circumstances surrounding the accident, the parties involved, and the available evidence can all affect how an injury claim is handled.
Why Eye Injury Claims Can Be Especially Complex
Getting through the initial trauma is often only the beginning for someone who experiences partial or complete vision loss. A serious eye injury can affect independence, employment, transportation, and everyday activities.
A person with permanent vision changes may need ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, help with daily tasks, vocational training, or changes to how work is done. Some may need help with activities such as shopping, reading, dressing, or traveling independently.
Because these effects can continue for years, an eye injury claim may need to account for more than the medical bills incurred immediately after the accident.
Compensation Available After a Serious Eye Injury
The damages available in a personal injury case depend on the accident's circumstances and the injury's severity.
Compensation may include losses related to:
- Emergency care and hospital treatment
- Ophthalmology visits and surgery
- Future medical and rehabilitation needs
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Vocational retraining
- Pain and suffering
- Assistance with daily activities
- Permanent impairment or vision loss
Accurately documenting these losses can be especially important when an injury is expected to affect a person's ability to work or live independently over the long term.
What Evidence Can Support an Eye Injury Claim?
Evidence can help establish both how an accident occurred and how significantly an eye injury has affected the injured person's life.
Depending on the case, relevant documentation may include medical records, ophthalmology evaluations, accident reports, photographs, video, witness statements, employment records, and information showing lost income. Records related to rehabilitation, assistive services, or vocational retraining may also help demonstrate ongoing needs.
For injuries involving permanent vision loss, medical and other expert opinions may explain future treatment, functional limitations, and the injury's long-term financial impact.
Why Choose The Maurer Law Firm for an Eye Injury Claim?
Ira M. Maurer has spent more than 45 years representing people who have suffered serious and catastrophic injuries and has recovered over $100 million for clients. His experience includes cases involving manufacturers, railroads, construction companies and contractors, insurance companies, medical providers, property owners, transportation companies, and motor vehicle operators.
His background also includes extensive familiarity with medical and technical evidence, which can be particularly relevant in cases involving complex injuries and permanent physical limitations. Maurer has been admitted to practice in multiple federal courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court, and he has served for more than 20 years as a volunteer federal court mediator in the Southern District of New York.
Speak With an Eye Injury Attorney in Fishkill, NY
A severe eye injury can affect far more than vision, particularly when it interferes with work, independence, or everyday activities. The Maurer Law Firm represents injured clients in Fishkill and throughout the Hudson Valley in claims involving serious and permanent injuries.Â
Call 845-244-8343 to schedule a consultation with attorney Ira M. Maurer and discuss the circumstances surrounding an eye injury claim. Hablamos Español.
