Eye Injury at Work Compensation

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Eye Injury At Work

The eyes are one of the five primary senses in the body, so any damage to even one of them could potentially lower the quality of a person’s life. Eye injuries are very common in the workplace. They can be one of the most severe injuries a person can suffer. Even slight damage to the eye can have a significant reduction in the quality of your vision.

Unfortunately, there are occasions where an eye injury is so severe that it leads to long—term or partial blindness and in some cases, fatalities. Any degree of eye injury can have a substantial impact on the person’s work life and personal life as a consequence. You may be able to make a claim for eye injury at work compensation if your employer’s negligence was the main cause of your injury. 

Common Accidents that can Lead to An Eye Injury At Work

 As your eyes are a sensitive part of the body, they can be easily damaged. Many hazards at work can lead to you injuring your Eyes, especially if there is a lack of health and safety standards in the workplace.

If health and safety standards are not being met and enforced by your employer, and as a result, you injure your eye, you may be eligible to make an eye injury at work compensation claim. Some of the most common accidents that can occur at work include:

  •  Insufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)- Lack of safety equipment is a common cause of eye injuries at work. Employers must keep their employees safe by providing protective clothing and equipment, such as goggles, masks, face shields, anti-slip shoes etc. You may be at riak of suffering from an eye injury if your job involves chemicals or if you work on a construction site, or factory where tools such as welders are used, for example. If your employer does not provide you with adequate Personal Protection Equipment, you will be at risk of suffering an eye injury.

  • Allergies- There are specific jobs that require exposure to food, flowers, spices, perfumes, detergents and other substances that can cause an allergic reaction called ‘allergic conjunctivitis’. These may cause your eyes to swell, which can cause irritation, pain and burning of the eyes. It is your employer’s duty to ensure you will not be exposed to any substances which may cause an allergic reaction. If you suffer an allergic reaction to the eyes, due to your employer’s negligence, you may be able to make a claim for eye injury at work compensation.

  • Building Site/ Construction/ Factory Accidents- In many work environments and jobs involving demolition, building/ construction work, or engineering, there is likely to be a lot flying debris. Employees are at high risk of the flying debris pieces going into their eyes, which can cause severe eye damage. Even a small amount of debris exposure to the eye can cause irreparable eye damage. Small pieces of grit can scratch the cornea of your eye can even lead to permanent loss of vision. Jobs which involve cutting metals can cause heated metal particles and sparks to fly around, which increases the risk of eye injuries in the workplace. If highly heated particles enter the eye, you risk getting a thermal burn, which can cause significant damage and may cause loss of sight in one or both eyes.

  • Radiation Exposure – Some jobs involve working with radiation. Working with radiation for long periods can expose lab workers to a number of risks. Over exposure to radiation can cause long-term, permanent damage to the eyes.

  •  Improper Use Of Dangerous Machinery-Many types of machinery used in the workplace can be dangerous if used not used correctly. Employers must provide adequate training to employees to ensure they can use dangerous machinery effectively and safely. Injuries to the eyes are commonly caused by a lack of training on the machinery and improper use of machinery.

  • Accidents Caused By Colleagues- Eye injuries are commonly caused by fellow employees. Your colleagues may act dangerously in the workplace and not follow safety rules. This negligence and irresponsibility can cause multiple injuries and will make work an unsafe place to be.

Your employer has a duty of care to ensure that your workplace is as safe as possible. Your employer is obligated to provide a safe place of work under the Health and Safety at Work. Act of 1974. The Workplace (Health, Safety, and Welfare) Regulations (1992) and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 impose a duty on your employer to ensure that the work environment is always clean and maintained to a high safety standard.

Your employer must ensure your safety in the workplace by following strict health and safety at work legislation. If your employers fail to carry out their duties in a satisfactory manner, and as a result, you sustain injuries in the eye, you may be able to claim for an eye injury at work compensation. 

If you have suffered an eye injury at work due to someone else’s negligence, contact us today to determine if you could make an eye injury claim.

Types Of Eye Injury

Many common eye injuries can occur as the result of an accident in the workplace. Here are the most common eye injuries:

  • Swelling of the eye
  • Eye penetrated by foreign bodies
  • Scratched cornea
  • Chemical substances in the eye causing burns and irritation
  • Bleeding in the eye area
  • Bleeding around the eye area
  • Inflammation of the iris
  • Eye fractures
  • Blindness or partial blindness in one or both eyes
  • Loss of one or both eyes

Each listed type of eye injury varies in severity. Some of the listed points are minor eye injuries. Minor eye injuries such as swelling may take a short time to heal. Whereas, other eye injuries such as bleeding in and around the eyes and eye fractures, will need medical attention straight away. More severe eye injuries may lead to blindness. If you have suffered any eye injuries, you might be entitled to some degree of compensation in the event that negligence can be proven.

Can I Make An Eye Injury Compensation Claim against My Employers?

There are often worries associated with making a claim against an employer. Many will be worried that the result will be negative and that they may be dismissed or treated negatively as a result. We can assure you that your employer will not be legally allowed to terminate your employment or treat you negatively just because you are filing a claim against them. Your employer should have appropriate insurance in place to cover instances of any of their employees being injured due to their negligence or breach of statutory duty. Your employer will not suffer any direct, personal financial loss if they have adequate insurance in place.

What Should I Do If I Suffer an Eye Injury at Work?

If you were unfortunate enough to have been involved in an accident due to your employer’s or fellow employees’ negligence, and you suffered an eye injury because of it, you will have grounds to claim compensation. Before you start your claim, we would recommend that you do the following to: –

  • Request first aid treatment straight away to minimise the damage to your eye. Seek medical attention as soon as possible of you have suffered a severe injury.
  • Report the accident to your supervisor or manager as quickly as possible.
  • Ensure that you ask your employers for the accident to be recorded in the accident book as soon as the accident has happened. Write an accurate description of the accident in the accident book. Your employer is legally required to keep a log of all accidents, and you should check any entries to ensure they are accurate, as this may be substantial evidence in your case.
  • If possible, take photographs and prepare a sketch of the accident area, and any involved equipment.
  • Ensure you take the contact details of any witnesses to the accident.
  • Try to find out if there have been any similar accidents or any complaints relevant to your accident, in the past.
  • Seek medical advice from your GP or hospital for ongoing symptoms.
  • Keep a record of any expenses incurred by you.
  • Always seek legal advice before agreeing to anything with your employer or their representative regarding the accident.

How Much Eye Injury At Work Compensation Will I Receive?

If you have been injured in an accident at work, and have developed eye injuries because of it, you may decide to make a claim. Your eye injury settlement amount will be based on your pain, suffering and loss of amenity (general damages) as well as any financial losses you suffered as the result of the accident (special damages). It is difficult to determine the amount of compensation you will receive without knowing all the injury details. As many injuries are complex, especially those that are ongoing, it may be necessary to obtain a medical evaluation of your injuries before estimating your injuries’ value.

The valuation of your general damages will be based on recent case law, as well as guidelines set out by the Judicial College.

The subject of special damages relates to incurred and expected costs in the future due to the eye injury. Your additional losses can include the following:

· Loss of earnings.

· Future loss of earnings.

· Medical expenses.

· Travel expenses.

· Additional equipment required

Why Choose Beacon Law To Handle Your Eye Injury At Work Compensation Claim?

Beacon Law provides a team of highly qualified Personal Injury Solicitors and legal professionals with many years of experience in personal injury matters. We offer a high level of service to all our clients and work hard to ensure you receive the highest level service for your accident at work claim for your sustaining eye injuries. We are specialist Personal Injury claims solicitors with expertise in all types of claims, including, road traffic accidents, slips, trips, falls, and criminal injuries.

Beacon Law is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. To find out more about how we can help you get a successful claim, and help you with your legal fees, visit our funding section on our website.

To find out more about making a workplace accident, take a look at our FAQ’s.

 

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0161 428 1234

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0330 1332 857

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Beacon Law

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Shirley House

12 Gatley Road

Cheadle

Cheshire

SK8 1PY

Last Updated on December 21, 2023 by Stacey