Accidents That May Cause Blindness: Options for Recovery
Written by AskTheLawyers.com™
Written by AskTheLawyers.com™
AskTheLawyers™
While age and eye disorders can cause or contribute to blindness, certain accidents and resulting injuries can also result in partial or full vision loss. Vision loss and blindness may or may not be reversible depending on the nature of the injury, but treatments and procedures do exist to restore sight either entirely or at least partially to accident victims, including cornea replacement, corrective lenses, and more. However, these treatments can be costly, so it’s important to seek out options for recovery if you or a loved one have suffered vision loss or blindness as the result of an accident.
Accidents that commonly cause blindness include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Workplace accidents
- Construction site accidents
- Defective product accidents
- Dog bites
- Airbag injuries
- Violence and criminal assault
Physical trauma to the eyes and/or the optic nerve can result in vision loss and blindness, as can damage to the brain. This means that any situation in which a blow is struck to the face or the head, something sharp results in physical trauma, and/or a harmful substance like chemicals come into contact with the eyes, vision could be harmed or even lost. Unfortunately, vision loss and blindness may also occur if a surgeon makes a mistake while treating a patient; in this scenario, the patient suffering from vision loss may be eligible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the negligent surgeon.
Loss or impairment of vision seriously impacts daily life.
For most people, sight plays a pivotal role in daily life from getting out of bed in the morning until going to sleep. The inability to see or to see as one used to following an accident can be extremely detrimental and can create hurdles that might feel insurmountable. The sudden inability to drive, to see the face of a loved one, or to operate safely around one’s own home are serious damages that should be compensated by the negligent party. From employment and academic opportunities to daily living and relationships, blindness can seriously impact a person’s life and future.
When someone’s blindness or vision loss is the result of an accident, it may be possible to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Blindness is a serious injury; whenever that injury occurs due to the intentional or negligent conduct of someone else, such as a driver committing a traffic violation, product manufacturer using unsafe chemicals, or even from criminal assault, it’s important to talk to a personal injury attorney about your options. It may be possible to file a personal injury claim seeking damages for losses including past and future medical expenses, impairment of earning capacity as a result of vision loss, pain and suffering, and more. If someone is hesitant to talk to an attorney due to the potential expense, it may help to note that most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations and work on contingency, which means clients only pay for their services if they win their case.
To learn more about accidents that may cause blindness, or options for recovery after one of those accidents, reach out to an experienced personal injury attorney in your area.