Virginia Eye Injury Lawyers Pursue Justice for Accident Victims
Attorneys win compensation for catastrophic vision loss
Our eyes truly are our windows to the world. Think for a moment about how much of life we experience visually: observing nature, reading a book, watching a movie, admiring art or simply relating to other people. When an accident impacts our vision, it can be catastrophic. At Pikrallidas & Probasco in Fairfax, Virginia, our personal injury attorneys understand how profoundly the loss of eyesight affects a victim and we fight for the maximum compensation possible.
Common types of eye injuries
The human eye is a delicate instrument, vulnerable to trauma that can cause irreversible damage. Catastrophic eye injuries can arise from any of the following:
- Blunt trauma — A heavy blow to the face can inflict an orbital fracture to the bones around the eye. Blunt force that directly contacts the eyeball can dislocate, detach, tear or break structures inside of the eye. Surgery may be required to fix a detached retina or other complication.
- Burns — Exposure to caustic chemicals, radiation (such as UV sunlight) or extreme heat can burn the surface of the eye, causing a corneal flash burn.
- Scratches — A corneal abrasion can result from grit or debris that gets into the eye. Minor scratches will heal on their own, but deeper scratches may require medical attention.
- Foreign body injuries — Any foreign particle that gets into the eye can cause scratches and infections. Foreign bodies that get stuck in the eye can require a procedure to remove them.
- Penetration — When a sharp object punctures the eye, its structure is damaged, requiring surgery to remove the object and repair the organ.
Serious injuries to the eye generally result in permanent partial or complete vision loss.
Accidents that can cause eye injuries
A careless person’s negligence can cause an accident that injures another person’s eye. Examples are:
- Motor vehicle accidents — Vehicle crashes can cause trauma to the face affecting the eye. Shattered glass is a great danger, as is a fuel fire.
- Construction accidents — Failure to wear eye protection leaves workers vulnerable to eye injuries. In any worksite, accidents with power tools can inflict injury to the eye.
- Industrial accidents — Workers in factories that use harsh chemicals run the risk of chemical burns to the eyes. Other hazardous industrial activities include welding, which produces ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) radiation that can permanently damage the retinae.
- Explosions and fires — Burn injuries can result from faulty appliances, battery fires or boiler explosions.
- Assault — Blunt force trauma to the face can cause an eye injury.
- Sport injuries — Certain contact sports, such as football and hockey, present danger when participants don’t use eye protection or when their protection proves defective.
Even household activities, from gardening to home repairs, can lead to eye injuries when individuals don’t take precautions.
Medical treatment and recovery for eye injuries
Eye injuries victims should seek emergency care from a specialist. Surgery can repair some damage and stabilize the organ. Potential complications include diminished eyesight, split vision and complete loss of vision. Some patients can achieve near normal performance with glasses, contact lenses and vision therapy. However, patients who become severely visually disabled must adopt coping methods such as learning braille, using a cane and perhaps obtaining a seeing-eye dog. At first, the patient may require personal assistance throughout the day. These individuals may be unable to continue their line of work. Other employment options may require retraining and might pay considerably less.
Because eye injuries can radically change your life, making you highly dependent on the compensation you recover, you should only trust your case to a personal injury lawyer who is experienced in eye injury cases.
Contact our Fairfax attorneys for a free eye injury consultation
Pikrallidas & Probasco in Fairfax represents accident victims who have sustained eye injuries throughout Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Call us at 703-267-2600 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation. Hablamos español.
