Suffering an Eye Injury in a Car Accident

Car accident injuries are wide ranging, including everything from broken bones to spinal cord injuries. It is also true, however, that certain parts of the body are more prone to injury than others during a collision. The head and neck, for instance, are particularly vulnerable in a crash, with accident victims at risk of sustaining fractures, lacerations, and eye injuries. The eye damage that a person can suffer in a car accident is often reversible, but this is not always true and many accident victims suffer with permanent vision problems for the rest of their lives. It is in these cases that an experienced Florida auto accident lawyer can play an especially crucial role in helping victims recover compensation for their medical bills, rehabilitation, wage loss, and pain and suffering.

Common Eye Injuries

Many of the most serious injuries sustained by car accident victims are the result of a person’s head or face suffering blunt force trauma. For instance, many car accident victims suffer from injuries after striking the airbag after it deploys. While airbags can and do play a crucial role in protecting passengers from more serious injury, it can expel with such force that it causes injuries, particularly to the head, face, and eyes, including retinal detachment. The retina is a thin tissue located near the back of the eye and is critical to the ability to see. Other injuries could affect the eye socket, which is the part of the skull that encloses the eye. Any fractures to the bones in the eye socket can cause severe nerve damage and vision loss. These types of injuries often occur when a car accident victim’s head strikes the window or dashboard upon impact.

Other serious injuries are not necessarily the result of blunt force trauma, but stem from an object actually penetrating the eye itself. Shattered glass can, for instance, cause serious lacerations to the eye, damaging the cornea or iris. If a laceration or blunt force trauma leads to severe blood flow in the front chamber of the eye, a person could also suffer from traumatic hyphema and permanent vision loss.

Treating Eye Injuries

Treating eye injuries is typically a complicated endeavor. Treating traumatic hyphema, for instance, often requires the use of several medications, a patch or shield, and surgical intervention. Similarly, retinal detachment almost always requires that the retina be reattached surgically. Those who suffer from eye socket injuries, including orbital fractures, may need to see a reconstructive surgeon, who can remove the bone fragments, free trapped eye muscles, eliminate double vision, and restore the normal structure of the socket itself, all of which can be both painful and expensive. Even after obtaining treatment, a person who sustains an eye injury could end up suffering permanent damage or require care for the rest of his or her life. Fortunately, reimbursement for these kinds of medical expenses can be recovered by accident victims from the at-fault party who caused the crash.

Set Up a Free Case Review Today

Please call Boone & Davis at 954-566-9919 today to speak with one of our dedicated Fort Lauderdale auto accident lawyers who can evaluate your case and explain your legal options.

Resource:

mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/retinal-detachment/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351348